Broke the Mirror
by PuffPink
Summary: Jackson Jekyll and Holt Hyde's situation was the result of their ancestor's elixir. So what happens when Jackson tries to fix things with his own science experiment?
1. Imaginary Friend

Jackson Jekyll set down the beaker nervously looking at it unsure. He wanted to test it more, but what could he even test it on? Scratching his piercing he looked at the white mouse that seemed… fine. Which was just an indication that it wasn't going to kill him but didn't mean it'd work either.

It didn't have any properties that could be poisonous but he was a… special case scenario. He looked around the Mad Science Lab cautiously too inhaling as he listened for any wandering spirit peers or after hour teachers. Night classes should start up soon, he wasn't sure what time it was but it was definitely a lull when the school was mostly vacant.

"Are you going to try it?"

Jackson jumped like a spazzing bird at the too close voice. Flinching as InvisiBilly faded in looking at his work, being careful not to touch.

"What. The. Heck. Invisibilly. Have you been here this whole time?" Jackson asked practically seizing, just trying to catch his breath while InvisiBilly stifled a giggle from his over the top reaction.

"Well when you guys involved me in all this I had to stick around and see how it turned out. I didn't expect it to be so boring, but it seemed uhh interesting enough."

Jackson huffed "What would make this so interesting to you?"

"Well it's interesting to ANYONE, duh." Invisibilly faded a bit more before taking a deep breath and solidifying "But heyyy we share a common uh. Creation legend!" he snapped like he had just come up with the idea "Dr. Jekyll mixing up an elixer to separate good from evil woo~" he added wiggling fingers and ghost noises for extra effect "The Invisible Man trying to make normies invisible with a magic science potion and becoming a monster himself… or something"

InvisiBilly rolled his eyes at the garbled interpretations normies had of their heritage. Regardless of how much truth was in them.  
>"I dare you to drink it" InvisiBilly snapped "The worst that can happen is you become invisible~"<br>"The worst that can happen is I die from poison." Jackson snapped back starting to clean up the lab to try and make it like he hadn't been messing around after hours. "Or that mouse dies… soon."

They both looked at his test subject. Who was fine. Drinking water and scratching itself.  
>"It doesn't look sick." InvisiBilly pointed out fading again as he yawned watching Jackson clean instead of helping himself. Jackson didn't say anything as his classmate disappeared completely but he could hear him packing up something nearby. He glanced over to see a book float into nothingness, guessing it had something to do with an invisible backpack, that kept the insides out of sight too. He didn't even want to guess how that worked, but his over analytical brain was already considering it.<p>

Jackson screwed a lid on the jar of milky yellow stuff he'd created in here. Looking at it cautiously before setting it off to the side and wiping down the table. Then putting his lab goggles back and hanging up his black apron.

He jumped as he saw the jar floating above the counter being tilted slightly, clearly being looked at.

"Don't touch that!" he huffed stomping over and taking it from InvisiBilly, sounding more concerned than angry.

"What is it anyway." InvisiBilly asked putting his hands on Jackson shoulder as he playfully peeked at it, fading into view if only to freak Jackson out more. "It looks gross."

Jackson didn't reply he just frowned until InvisiBilly got out of his bubble.

"Does it have to do with your condition~" he sang grabbing his invisible backpack. Well patting around for it first. Then scooping up what was clearly an invisible bag, based on the impressions on InvisiBilly's faint clothes.

"It's…" Jackson paused like he might tell him "None of your business but thanks for helping me get in here…" he mumbled with a smile of gratitude.  
>"Sure thing normie~" InvisiBilly smiled before disappearing again, waiting for Jackson to put the jar securely in his bag before blowing in his ear and making the poor boy jump again.<p>

Jackson rubbed the side of his head grumpily going towards the door that opened on it's own.  
>"Thanks." he mumbled cautiously going through, subtly testing the foreground with this foot to make sure InvisiBilly hadn't been trying to trip him. He wasn't. Thankfully. Though must have been tempted.<p>

The door shut quietly behind them and Jackson heard the very faint footsteps of the invisible boy hopefully being a decent lookout as the hall seemed empty enough. Jackson already conjuring up a lie in case they were caught in a hallway unaffiliated with extra curricular activities.

"Hey."

Jackson held back a flinch but still twitched at the words coming from someplace closer than he imagined.

"In case something goes wrong, can you atleast text me if you're going to try it so I know you aren't like having a seizure alone or something?"

InvisiBilly asked cautiously, trying to sound nonchalant, like he didn't really care just didn't want blood on his hands for letting Jackson into place he shouldn't be in.

"Sure. I wouldn't mind having a spotter, that's kind of reassuring." Jackson smiled at the friendliness.

"Yeah I mean I don't know how well a normie can handle that kind of raw monster science~" InvisiBilly sounded like he was stretching and yawning while he said this. Trying to mildly insult him to appear as if he didn't care. Jackson knew InvisiBilly considered him a monster though. They were kind of similar after all, like he put earlier in the lab.

They made it out to the vacant parking lot on the side of the school where Jackson got his keys out.

"Thanks again." Jackson smiled lightly trying not to gay it up too much as InvisiBilly solidified out of cautiousness of being in a parking lot. It was evening, and the sun was just starting to set. Jackson was able to stay into nighttime these days but his childhood of blacking out at night still left him wary of the setting sun.

"Don't mention it, I owed Holt a couple of things." InvisiBilly shrugged "So now we're even. Not like it was a favor or anything."  
>"You should probably get home before Bloodgood catches you with your janitor keys. Do you need a ride home?" Jackson offered already getting in and starting up his car.<p>

"I don't live too far from here" InvisiBilly shrugged "I'll be fine, sides I was thinking about sticking that mouse you tested in someone's locker…" he smiled thinking of potential pranks to pull before he left campus.

Jackson rolled his eyes "Ok. Well… I'll text you." he offered awkwardly, before leaving, careful to keep his eyes on InvisiBilly as he half faded in the twilight.


	2. Blueberry

Jackson unlocked the door to his house and listened. His mom's car was gone. There was no noise in the house. The A/C was turned off, but that was als a habit leftover from when Dad had still been around.

He closed the door, not minding the stuffiness. He grew up with fire elementals and spent years half hoping he was just a late blooming one, so a warm house really didn't bother him. Especially not since he preferred being a little on the warm side. Long mustard colored sleeves and sweater vest to show for it.

Making some dinner for himself, since he didn't' know when his mom would be home, he cautiously pulled out his experiment, waiting for the water to boil.

Tilting it around, it appeared still mixed, slightly separating in gross clumps a yellowed off white milky substance that looked like it'd been mixed with an oily water. Drumming his hands on the table a bit he took out his diary and started writing about it. Making sure he had the exact formula down and ingredients incase he died and someone tried to replicate it, or doctors needed to figure out exactly why he was sent to the hospital.

He briefly wondered which hospital he'd be sent to if ever the need. Deciding his mom would definitely chosen him to be in the care of monsters. At least they could deal with the unpredictableness of his nature.. Beside that, despite what the kids at school called him. He was a monster after all…

Normies didn't turn into blue party DJs.

He looked briefly at his caucasian skin tone for a moment, glancing up at the microwave in the kitchen to spot his reflection on it's glassy surface. Black hair, no bright colors to naturally streak it save for his bangs. But that was unnatural.

No markings, no pointed ears, no fangs. Holt had a marking.

Whatever that thing on his face was.

It wasn't a tattoo. He learned tattoos were a shared burden. The hard way.

Jackson chewed his cheek thoughtfully thinking about that again, still unsure if he liked their non-consensual addition to their body.

Waking up with an aching back was one thing but, Holt DID seem to have decent taste in tattoos. He choose a yinyang symbol after all, something they both enjoyed dorkily. He could have chosen a trebel clef, Holt had reminded him. He was _that_ close to getting a trebel clef, the DJ had explained via apology video. Or something to spice up his face mark, that wouldn't have complimented Jackson's lack of birthmark so nicely. But no, he'd been "nice" and chosen one of the few things they could agree on.

Jackson recalled that argument on their bodily integrity. How he could have asked to get a tattoo to begin with. Holt hadn't had a good argument about that one. Or maybe he did but he acted all grumpy when he brought that up so Jackson dropped it.

It took too much energy to argue with him anyway. Getting Holt too angry meant waking up to headaches, sore stress filled shoulders and eyes puffy on the verge of tears from the emotion of his other half.

Then there was the fact that like everything Holt did to make them look more alternative had been met with praise. The tattoo did wonders for his rep in the locker room after all. Everyone thought he was pretty badass, as it did look like a shared exploit, and no one was the wiser. A yinyang tattoo sounded like something they agreed on, versus if it HAD been a treble clef. Then everyone would have known who really got their back inked.

And he wouldn't have gotten any credit for being cool. He scratched his other alternative addition. Only Holt would think to get an eyebrow piercing of all things. Their ears weren't even pierced like some of the other boys. Though it had shown up before Jackson knew he was a monster. It had only made his blackouts more disturbing. Grim implications that he didn't have comtrol over his body, or was getting pranked hardcore. He had gone to the more sleepwalking route of things in terms of explanation as it had always mysteriously reappeared no matter how many times he took it out.

Or threw it out the window.

Only to be replaced by a different eyebrow piercing.

At least the bangs were his. Either yellow and bleach didn't transfer over to fiery red hair, or it looked natural enough on Holt's "fire" that he hadn't noticed. Jackson had done that before Holt knew about him after all. And though he never questioned Holt if he had had his own theories about the dye(if he even noticed. Or if hair dye transferred like tattoos did), Jackson assumed Holt had probably just thought it was natural or something, like how brown Jackson's hair got in the summer.

Speaking of yellow. His macaroni was done boiling as Jackson fixed his own after school snack dinner. Mixing that up his brain was still on yinyang symbols. Like his bag. Holt had to have noticed his bag choice.  
>So he briefly wondered how one sided the tattoo was. Maybe Holt got into that argument because it was meant to be a surprise present.<p>

A really crappy surprise present.

Regardless it was still their symbol. Something they could sort of own like how everyone in their school themed their lives around what made them special.

Jackson didn't have much to make him special. Unthemed like other normies he had to claim something. Even if he couldn't make as many puns as the others did in their constant word play. He always wanted something to join in with. Besides subtle times he mentioned he needed to "Hyde" from Manny, while he always thought it was clever, either no one caught it, or it wasn't even his pun. His last name was Jekyll after all. And there wasn't much you could work with there.

At least having a full stomach now he took the jar of gross up to his room, it looking more unappetizing after so much cheese. Setting it on his nightstand he went to rush through homework having lost a lot of time to after school activities.

It was nearly time for bed and Jackson's mom to come home by the time he was done. Almost 11 or so. Jackson looked at his clock, trying to read the time, it taking slightly extra thought with his analog clock. He recalled wanting digital. But Holt had kept booby trapping it to extra loud radio alarms.

Closing his books satisfied with his work he closed out all his academic tabs on his computer. Opening up FrightTunes and a word document. After all. If he was going to experiment on himself he wanted to run it through the other guy first.

As much as Jackson resented Holt, he didn't want to be a hypocrite. If he was going to yell at Holt for getting a tattoo without asking, he had to be the better guy and ask Holt if he could drink a potentially life ending formula.

Ok, not to be too grim he was just being realistic. There wasn't anything in this to suggest it could kill them but Jackson didn't know for sure. He didn't run it by a teacher or anything, he didn't ask a doctor, he wasn't even sure if it'd do anything but maybe give them a stomach ache or a case of monster butt.

Trying not to think of bad consequences he started typing to the other side of his brain.

_Hey. So. I'm thinking about. Trying it. But if you think we should maybe just wait and make sure it's safer. I'm ok with that._

Jackson paused thinking. Then got up and put the jar clearly visible on their desk.

_But if you're on board… do what you want to before we possibly poison ourselves ok?_

Jackson pressed play on one of Holt's playlists. They were all his cept for the study music and calmer classical that were Jackson tested.  
>Catching a glance of his hands catching on fire, the only pyronic ability between the two of them.<p>

-  
>Gasping. Jackson, woke up again. Their chair had been adjusted to a slightly different height, his legs were up on their desk, his body in a leaned back position, glancing at the computer clock only half an hour had passed or so. Disoriented but not too badly he put his legs down and scooted in the chair, adjusting the height again to his personal comfort as he read Holt's reply.<p>

_yooo, i'm not afraid of nothing!_

_just drink that nasty_

_just dont make me_

_it looks like you were sick in it_

_just sayin_

__Jackson noticed a couple other tabs were open, Holt checking his own news interests, Critter, their phone still open to some texts. Those he had saved especially for Holt, info on potential gigs and other social things he was into.

He finished reading Holt's message left on the word pad in different font to differentiate from Jackson's original message.

_if i die you can have my headphones and full custody over crossfade _

_:P  
>i don't think he's doing so well<em>

_who knows the effects a domestic partnership has over a young chameleons psychology_

Jackson was scoffing at Holt not taking this seriously before… Holt got serious.

_hey though i know how this goes _

_i swear if your tricking me into letting you get rid of me for good_

_instead of helping me find my own place_

_there will be consequences._

_dont think i'm accusing you bro_

_even if you think i'm not into your nerd books i know our story_

_grandaddy tried to get __**rid**_ _of Mr. Hyde_

_your supposed to be the good guy so i'm trusting you to be that  
>see? i can trust you<em>

_now let's see if we can starfish this train wreck_

Jackson blinked a headache forming as he was tempted to transform just so he could correct all of Holt's grammar errors in bold red, but he couldn't believe Holt was accusing him of getting rid of him.

He had to think about the starfish thing until he recalled Holt sending him a link to starfish's ability to form into two separate starfish if cut correctly. And Holt getting excited.  
>"<em>If nature let's an animal make two of itself, do you think we could?"<br>_He had asked apprehensively. Nervously, smiling in that video Jackson recalled. Looking scared but hopeful.

Jackson had considered it in the past, but it was only after Holt suggested it that he did more research into any Mad Science information on it. He didn't have to kill his other half, nothing that dramatic, but if the original Jekyll could separate two parts of himself, why couldn't Jackson go beyond that, and physically separate the two of them?

He didn't know how it would turn out. Actually he was like 90% sure it wouldn't work. But he didnt' have any mice with alter egos to test it out on. Jackson honestly doubted the crap would do anything to anyone who wasn't struggling with a halved mind that had shapeshifting tendencies.

This had to be the first thing they had worked together on. Beside Frankie, but they got greedy and jealous on that one and ended up ruining it for both of them.

This would be different. Holt had convinced InvisiBilly to let them in the Mad Science Lab after school. Jackson had been working on this in pure theory for weeks. Asking irrelevant questions in class, and sneaking forbidden books from teachers and the library.

Just this would be the first… trial.

Taking the jar to his lavender bathroom he brought his diary along, making a note of the time and date, setting up his iCoffin for record, closing the bathroom door and… not locking it. Just in case he needed to be escorted out by paranormalmedic.

Taking an extra minute to shoot InvisiBilly a text about if they didn't respond by midnight to call his mom leaving a number.

He took off his sweater vest and unbuttoned his shirt a little, his bow tie abandoned in his room during a bout of trying to get comfortable mid homework. Filling up a glass of water for the after taste.

Looking at his reflection for a good while the second time this day. Scratching his eyebrow piercing. Again.

Holt suspected he was trying to get rid of him but gave him the go ahead for the experiment anyway… He must really want this to work. If successful they could have their own lives finally. Jackson could worry about going to college without a frat boy getting them disciplinary action and destroying career goals. He could… get his own room. Something the only child turned "twin" often fantasized about. Especially after he woke up to a paint fumey blood read room decorated by skulls to match a certain DJ's signature headphones.

Jackson set his iCoffin to record.  
>"Uhhm" he stood back opening the jar, a pungent smell coming out of it. Ugh. "Trial.. 1. Attempting to.. enhance me and dual personality Holt Hyde's.. transformation by possible separation." he swallowed.<p>

"If… successful, I may be able to create a second body for my… other half." he meant that literally, not in a figurative sense that he needed Holt just. They were two parts of a whole. Trying to become their own wholes.

"May be left weak.." he swallowed. "May be left poisoned. Or simply unsuccessful."

Please let it work. Or be harmless. He silently prayed.

"Bottoms up…" he mumbled sickened holding his nose and gulping as much of the potion as he could. Immediately gagging, and spitting half of it, out, but trying to force some more before he initially dropped the glass, shattering it.

He was up against the wall before there was a ringing in his ears and everything started going fuzzy and white. The bathroom becoming incredibly white as he was met with intense vertigo.  
>He choked something of a swear before grabbing the water to try and wash it down with. But the water burned his mouth. And his throat.<p>

Everything was burning. He was burning. No literally. His hands were on fire. His reflection! He was on fire. He could tell, not just looking at himself but everything. It was on his face blinding him, like a transformation. Only incredibly slower and not blacking out.

He fell on the rug no where near glass shards and curled up stomach cramping. Seizing. He grabbed onto the rug for it to crinkle and turn black in his hand. Flakes of clothing falling off as he somehow burned it. Always figuring his clothes were fire proof or his transformation magic was somehow safer than normal fire.

Then he blacked out.  
>For real.<p>

Not blacking out and someone else waking up, but falling unconscious in his bathroom.

-

"Jackson!"

Ringing. In his ears.

"Jackson!"

Muffled. Mom.

Downstairs.

"I brought back donuts come pick out your favorite!"

A pause. While she waited.

His stomach still hurt.

"... Holt? Come pick out your donut before Jackson gets first pick!"

Footsteps.

"I swear if you have your headphones on in the house. I told you to use the stereo so you could hear me."

His door was opened. Jackson's heart picked up waking up suddenly. Hearing his mom inspect his room. Quickly remembering he had locked his laptop. So she couldn't see the text document. Thankfully.

"Jackson are you in the bathroom?"

She must have noticed the light.

Reflexively he stumbled to the door and locked it

"Yeah…?!" he croaked out, his throat sore. Coughing.

There was a pause. Jackson's vision still messed up something was. What?

"Are you ok in there?"

"I'm fine."

"Come pick out…" Jackson could tell she wasn't sure who she was talking to.  
>"Your donut I brought some home."<p>

As she walked away Jackson sighed resting against the door. Something felt wrong though, his skin was tingly. The bathroom felt incredibly cold.

Things coming into focus after he blindly grappled for the doorknob he looked at his hands.

Blueberry.

Blue. Light blue. What.

Hands.

He had blue hands. He stood up quickly cutting his food on glass and cursing causing him to look down at the rest of his body. Also blue.

Reflection. Blue.

Naked blue.

He was staring at Holt's naked body. In the mirror. Not an illusion.

He was Holt. Or… had his body.

Mouth agape, his heart almost shot out of his chest.

"This. Isn't. Happening."


	3. Reflection

**Part 1: Reflection**

Jackson held his head gritting his teeth as he tried to comprehend this.

"Ow.." he hopped over to the toilet sitting down and pulling out a tiny piece of glass he'd stepped on and tossing it in the trash.

His foot was blue.

HIS FOOT WAS BLUE.

"No no no…" he mumbled trying to calm down as his heart beat faster and harder. Still holding his head. Closing his eyes. If… he wasn't looking. Maybe he could think clearly.

Jackson opened his eyes regardless still looking at his blue legs.

"Oh my ghoul…" he put his hand to his mouth in horror, before closing his eyes again. Scrunching up on the toilet. Whining to himself. He wanted to freak out more but he mostly just felt.. sick.

Plus his mom was in the other room, as much as he wanted to jump around yelling, or sob loudly he had to suffice to scrunching up and feeling feverish like he was about to cry.

Woop, scratch the 'about'. His eyes were all watery from panic.

"This isn't right." he whispered "I'm."

He bit his lip at the familiar clich_é _

"A. Monster."

He meant it in the most literal sense. In factual classification, not a monster because he did anything wrong, and felt like an ethically wrong monster.  
>Then again he kind of did something wrong.<br>This was wrong.  
>This was horribly wrong.<p>

Trying to calm his shakey breathing down he opened his eyes again, still scrunched up, and kind of stifling whimpery sobs as he wasn't sure how to fix this.

"It'll be ok" he whispered reassuringly to himself "It'll… wear off. If not. I'll… fix it. Take the potion again. Recreate it…" but he sounded so unsure and wobbly outloud he couldn't believe it. Not while he was panicking anyway.

Sweating as his chest shook in shivers.

Smoke brushing his nose as.

Smoke?

Smoke! He unclenched the sides of the toilet his hands having singed the cover. Holt couldn't light up, but he could get pretty hot. Especially while on the verge of… no in the process of a panic attack. And Jackson happened to be Holt right now.

The room was… smokey actually.

He was naked. Right. There was a sticky pile of tar and ashes and scraps of what was the bathroom rug on the tile. His transformation fire seemed to have gotten out of control. Too bad he couldn't normally recreate that.

Woah though.

It was exciting to see the ashes and know he burned his clothes off after years of hoping he was secretly a fire elemental, and puberty failing to live up to those hopes.

He was still sort of both proud and scared that he has did that. Or Holt did. Or… shapeshifting fire elemental magic.

But it didn't stop the fact that he was still blue! He took a few deep breaths. Shakily walking back to the mirror, avoiding the glass. Looking at himself, scared. But seeing the reflection. Just seeing it. Made his stomach turn. Like seeing someone you hate in a place you were never expecting them. He put his hand to his mouth again coughing from the stress.

Looking up. Forcing himself to look at his red straight hair, watery red eyes, blue face… and body. And almost feeling like he could see it from the corner of his eye, face mark.

He clenched the sink, keeping his pelvis out of view. Despite sharing the same body, looking at Holt's naked one felt wrong. Holt deserved privacy after all. Even if Jackson had gotten the occasional pranking photo text that suggested otherwise.

He couldn't look at himself too long without feeling like he was about to sit down to a final exam.

He kept looking back at the sink. Then looking up, scrunching over and repeating the process.

There was a knock that made him fall over to the toilet rug. Spaztastic Jackson in Holt's skin. Thankful he had avoided glass.

"Did you get around to the laundry?" his mom's voice nagged muffled.

Laundry? And for a brief second Jackson forgot what was going on. Back in the normal world of laundry and other chores.

"No mom."

"Which one of you is in there?" she asked.

Jackson's eyes widened. Why did she need to know that?! Crap. What did he say. He needed to pick an identity. Otherwise she'd start asking questions. What if he said Jackson then Holt popped out into the hallway? Or did laundry. Wait that didn't matter he could always say he just told Holt and- crap he was waaay over thinking this. He should have responded immediately.

Reflexively.

"Holt." he answered uncreatively, trying his best to sound a bit less unsure of himself. But… didn't.

Their mom seemed to pick up on the amount of time it took him to answer, as well as his lack of creative answer. She paused outside the door, usually he said something like "The evil twin" or "the good looking one." and so… scared sounding.  
>Was he ok? Did he have a bad day or something? She briefly imagined her blue child in there upset and locked in the bathroom. Boys always refusing to show their emotional side to their mothers.<p>

"Are you ok?" she asked reassuringly leaning against the wall by the door.

"I'm fine." Quick like he wanted her to go away.

She licked her lips thinking "If you had a bad day at school you can have a second donut ok? Just don't tell Jackson." hoping that'd bring a smile and a "_I was planning on it mom~" _ or something.

"Ok."

She frowned. Looking at the ceiling before dropping the subject, "Just get to the laundry I know you have the time. Some of us need sleep in this house. Can't just change shifts."

Another quick "Ok." before she went to settle into her own bed time routine.

Jackson pulled a towel around himself, too stressed to think of the unfairness of Holt getting an extra donut if he wasn't around. Well.. then again he was Holt so that didn't matter at the moment, but still. The principle.

He briefly defended the thought that it was all going to the same stomach and his mother's version of Holt tonight was also doing laundry and probably staying up till her version of Jackson got up, and thusly might need more food and energy but still.

Stupid logical brain. He wanted to be angry.

First things first.

Clothes… then he had to fix this mess.

He almost tripped again when his iCoffin buzzed at him. He swiped away the alert that his video memory was full and looked at a text from InvisiBilly.

_hey u never responded so making sure u ok._

Jackson shivered.  
>No he was not ok. But he was alive.<p>

_Alive, thanks for checking on me._

Sneaking across the hall in a towel he had only 10 steps but he was still scared of his mother popping out and finding a naked blue boy sans-headphones. Popping in his room and dropping his phone on his bed he quickly changed into PJs, his white and baby blue striped pajamas matching his skin in a sort of too perfect way that made him want to buy a different color to compliment Holt's hair.

Wait…

Holt didn't hang out in Jackson's PJs. And he was currently pretending to be him.

Jackson chewed his lip nervously sitting on his bed and holding his throbbing foot. Maybe he should just tell his mom.

She could try to fix things.

But what if it was temporary. What if this was just a minor set back that'd be gone by morning? If he told her, not only would she probably stay up all night and probably miss work, which she was always on thin ice for, regardless of job or town. Buuut he'd probably also get in trouble for experimenting on himself.

He could always blame it on Holt.

It seemed like a good idea till the guilt set in. Dangit. Blaming being out late or forgetting things, on his mysterious blackouts was easier before he knew that someone else was actually taking the hit.

Ok ok ok. He might tell Mom. If things got any worse, or it lasted longer than a week. For the moment it was something he could keep to himself.

Like Holt's tattoo. Except. More secret.

Since he couldn't tell InvisiBilly about what the potion actually did. Not that he couldn't be trusted exactly but he didn't know who InvisiBilly knew. He hung out with a lot of people that weren't in his immediate friend group but he still knew. So if word got to someone important, or someone like Spectra, it was all over. He didn't want the attention he could fix this himself. Sides if the whole school knew then, the teachers would find out he had been messing around in Mad Science Lab after hours, without permission, or supervision and was technically stealing chemicals. And offense often associated with making illegal substances, that as such carried a large consequence. Even if he was using it for science.

Plus he wasn't sure what would happen if he told his mother. She might try to take him to a doctor, or keep him home. And at home he couldn't make an antidote, and doctors knew less about him than he did.

He was smart, he could do this… and he could change pajamas because Holt didn't wear this.

He had to be Holt now. For however long this lasted. Hopefully it'd reverse by sunrise but if not… well first thing's first.

Opening Holt's drawer with haphazardly thrown bundles in his dresser he plucked out fleece black bottoms, too warm for the season but it was unusually chilly tonight, and a white night tshirt from some concert he'd never heard of… or remembered happening…

So far so good. He was doing this, as he folded his PJs and put them back away neatly in his own drawer. He was functioning, and he was not panicking.. outwardly. Maybe still a little inwardly but managing. Still a bit shakey. Still dying to tell someone. Wishing he had someone to talk to. If only he had someone he could tell anything and everything to that was available 24/7.

Oh right.

Holt needed to know.

Grabbing headphones for cosmetics he wrapped them around his head plugged in to his iCoffin that currently wasn't playing anything. If his mom came out into the hall she could assume that's how he was wandering silently about the house, but he had a feeling she might be asleep already.

Better paranoid than caught however.

It was weird that he was still Holt without music though, what exactly did the potion mess up?

Carefully clearing his bathroom of glass he had to grab extra bags and a broom to sweep up the ashen rug and clothing. Sticky tar still clinging to the tile he just moved the toilet rug on top of it to obscure evidence.

His skin still crawled whenever he caught sight of his baby blue arms though.

He was a monster and he couldn't even enjoy it. Peeking up again at himself as he got onto his feet, sad wary red eyes on the mirror, red eyebrows scrunched up as the rest of his face and body rose up to look defeatedly at his reflection. He ran a finger over Holt's face mark before going downstairs to claim his donuts.

Picking out his favorites he was disappointed they didn't seem to taste the same. Forcing a cream filled down he was sure he had different taste buds. Confirmed when he picked a donut that was always missing from his mom's frequent variety pack. Much better and suited to Holt's palate. Weird.

Grabbing a piece of paper, a sharpie from the kitchen drawer he went into the downstairs bathroom for the real reason he was down here. Sort of shivering nervously as he wrote an all caps note for Holt.

**I AM SO SORRY. **

**SOMETHING WENT WRONG. **

**I SWEAR I WILL FIX IT. **

The rest was self explanatory.

Jackson assumed Holt would be having the reverse problem after all, it only made sense.

The silent was also unnerving. Not only was his mom inactive but he was briefly scared of the possibility that when he turned on the music, Holt wouldn't be there.

He disliked Holt, he got into arguments with Holt, he didn't want Holt to be interfering in his life, but if he accidentally killed him. Well Jackson wasn't sure if he could take that.

Hoping the trigger was the same Jackson turned on the downstairs bathroom radio, it blasting a CD Holt had left in it.

"Ah!" he huffed the transformation happening. As he watched the quick spurt of flames, he was relieved that he was actually blacking out. That meant Holt was ok atleast. He hadn't broken them completely.


	4. Noise Control

"_**Awwwwwwwwww Yeah~!**_" his signature phrase rang out loudly, as Holt jumped up excitedly hands in the air. Exactly why Jackson had chosen to transform in the downstairs bathroom:

Noise control.

Holt bit his lip forever excited anytime he got to be out. But something was wrong.

He saw that as he caught a glimpse of the wrong colors from his peripherals in the mirror. No red. No blue for that matter just.

A surprised little nerdy normy boy without his glasses.

No hang on that wasn't right.

But he was responding to his movements like any other reflection. He had to quickly look down at his arms bare and peachy to confirm, otherwise he would have thought he finally went off the deep end and was seeing Jackson everywhere. But no. He was. Well white.

At first he opened his mouth in confusion, that sort of turned to a more pissed then disgusted face.

"What. Did. You. **Do.**" he hissed at Jackson, well rather no one. Since Jackson couldn't hear him anymore. Though sometimes Holt liked to think Jackson could.

He grit his teeth panicking, looking up his arms, and hands, then into the mirror, running his hands through his new dark brownish hair. Scared blue eyes nervously searching his form for a sign of Holtness. No face mark. No nothing. The only blue on him were Jackson's pale eyes, seeming like they stole the color from his skin. Widened further than his usual Eastern slant, as his breathing picked up trying to keep it together.

He bit his cheeks, and stumbled back to rest against the wall feeling dizzy. That idiot had screwed everything up. Only then did he notice the paper on the ground.

**I AM SO SORRY. **

**SOMETHING WENT WRONG. **

**I SWEAR I WILL FIX IT. **

Oh really? Pissed he picked it up crumpling it expecting it to crinkle into black from his rage. When it didn't he only got angrier, tearing it up and throwing the angry confetti at the sink.

Crossing his arms he fumed, feeling hot. Actually weirdly hot, the house was normally kind of chilly at night. But not hot enought to be Holt, because he still had normie bangs annoyingly scratching his face. Wiping them frustratedly out of the way side swept. But they kept drifting back to his forehead.

Grumbling he got some water in his hand and ran it back through his hair. Only for the hair to flop back in damp chunks. He had half a mind to chop them all off but there were no scissors in this bathroom.

Ok he was getting dizzy again and sat down on the toilet holding his head in his hands. Just. Breathing.

This better wear off. Actually. No he needed to talk to Jackson now.

Make him explain more than that crappy little note. Holt knew about the experiment, but …

He sighed, actually having a hard time blaming Jackson for once. They had the same goal on this one. And if he was in Jackson's body then Jackson must be in his. And he knew Jackson must have flipped out too, there was no way his other half was ok with this.

Angry or not he still had questions. Jackson was the smart one, he might have an idea as to why this would happen, and how temporary it was.

Oh ghoul, it had **better **be temporary. Holt narrowed his eyes angry again. The music not doing much to soothe him. Though these were some killer beats. He forgot he left this mix down here.

Pulling his knees up and resting against them with his arms crossed Holt tried to think for awhile. Looking up cautiously at the mirror. Still reflecting the truth of all this. It made him want to punch a wall. Or burn something. If he **could **burn something. Frustrated at being trapped in human form, and frustrated that even as himself he could only really scorch a few things, really. Maybe for the better. He had a few issues, and if he had Heath's never ending source of fire then he might not have a house or a school at this point. Or be locked up for more than framed graffiti.

He made a face at his reflection "I don't wanna see your ugly face." he groaned sticking his tongue at himself. Before looking at his actual body. Just about the same as his. Same size, same scars. Just not his. And not blue. A stupid normie. Still bound by music making everything worse. What was the point of being the human side if he wasn't even dominant personality? Silence was the norm, silence existed everywhere outside his safe music bubbles and he still couldn't get there.

At the same time this was the closest to meeting Jackson as he'd ever gotten.

Since he could actually touch "Jackson" now. See him, in high definition instead of a pixelated video screen. Standing up and studying himself in front of the sink. Taking off his shirt to get a better look at Jackson's torso.

Ew, ok shirt back on. Almost blinded there.

He still felt weird, like kind of uncomfortable weird. Like he was wearing old laundry, or hadn't showered in awhile or something. His skin felt wrong, and itchy. Everything was bugging him. Especially Jackson's stupid bangs.

Holt sighed standing defeatedly in front of the mirror moving his bangs out of his way and missing the asymmetry of his real face. He kind of felt like this wasn't real. And he'd pop up in his bed with his headphones nearly strangling him and Jackson pissed off at him for hogging time sleeping when they could sleep in their brain.

Something was wrong though, he was Jackson but something was missing. His face was too clear and squishy looking.

Oh right that nerd's glasses, he wasn't wearing them. And wasn't looking forward to. But they clearly weren't in here. He'd look for them later, or Jackson could. Whatever. Actually what time was it even.

He followed his wire down to his pocket finding his iCoffin checking the time, almost 2am. The night was still young. Mom was probably asleep already with ear plugs or something in. He might wait to pump things up around the house though because he wasn't sure how effective those were and didn't want to wake her when she had work in the morning.

Swiping their iCoffin screen he noticed someone had recorded something new. Seeing the bathroom and Jackson in the preview image. Wondering if it was a message from earlier he pressed play, hearing it faintly through his headphones around his neck.

"_Uhhm, Trial.. 1. Attempting to.. enhance me and dual personality Holt Hyde's.. transformation by possible separation."_

Jackson's nasally voice echoed in their bathroom. Continuing to watch as Jackson seemed to start transforming into him but didn't. Catching fire, bright fire. That looked hot. He saw Jackson fall to his knees, and Holt raised his eyebrows kind of concerned, if not just for their shared body.

He heard pained noises, and pulled a headphone up to his ear to listen better to Jackson wailing in pain. Smoke rising up, as the camera only had a view above counter. Couldn't see anything he was doing. Just, smoke and awful noises. A plume came up filling the room and the fire detector went off for awhile. Holt pursed his lips in concern as the video captured a smokey bathroom for another 30 minutes before it ran out of phone memory. Mostly just skipping through that part in case anything interesting happened.

As interesting as it was, it wasn't helpful. Though hinted Jackson's glasses were probably still in the bathroom somewhere.

He was tapping his foot on the floor now, listening intensely to the music and thinking, or trying to think. He wanted to help but wasn't sure how. Holt tapped faster looking at his reflection, wincing, geez he had to get used to seeing that.

Then his heart picked up. Reminding himself **not to think like that. **Do not get used to seeing that. He reminded himself. It'll wear off or Jackson'll fix it.

He felt bad because looking at his new face he looked like such a wimp. He looked like a scared wimp baby girl. And he hated it because he was the embodiment of confidence. And right now he didn't look confident.

Screw that. He was Holt Hyde. Shakily standing up holding his head. And he'd rock whatever he looked like. His fashion sense proved that. Putting a particular confidence building work-out playlist on his iCoffin to give him extra confidence, he upped the volume before turning off the bathroom radio. Noticing the kitchen light on he decided on a snack before tearing Jackson a new one.

It still felt wrong to walk around like this, he looked anxiously towards the stairs like he was going to get caught. He was Jackson listening to full blast beats after all, and what if Mom was still running around.

Something told him Mom couldn't know.

The house seemed dead enough though he couldn't know for sure without really listening. He didn't want to break up the beat though. Dancing and lightly singing along as he went to check for his favorite donut on the counter he found it missing. Holt scarfed down Jackson's in revenge finding it more pleasant than he remembered the last time he revenge ate.

Running upstairs he paused at his doorway. If his stomping up the starwell didn't wake her up she must be under deep and/or using her noise cancellers again.

Going to the bathroom he smeared some hair junk on his head to smooth the style upwards. Jackson's hair sticking to something a little more his style. At least it was out of his face. He checked the floor for Jackson's glasses, finding them eventually by the trashcan, and sticking them on his shirt instead of putting them on.

It was an improvement. No glasses, better hair. As much as he wanted to go buy econo-sized blue facepaint he just had to man up. Clicking his fingers at his reflection he left the bathroom still weirded out by his pinky hands.

Slamming the door to his room he grabbed his laptop and hunkered down on their bed for a talk.

Setting his webcam to record he just winged it.

"Heeeey. Dude." he started scratching his head feeling odd seeing himself as Jackson in the video too. "Incase you were wondering I got the same issue… that is assuming you're uh.. me right now!" he smiled brightly and nervously.

"So you better fix it" he raised his eyebrows smiling in a threatening manner "Because I ain't getting stuck as this dorkus any longer than I need to, kapeesh?"

He cleared his throat "I'm assuming Mom doesn't know, since she's not fussin' all over us right now. Lemme know if you already told anyone, because I don't wanna end up on some dumb gossip blog y'know what I'm sayin'?"  
>He leaned back into the pillows looking at the ceiling trying to figure out what else to say.<br>"I don't like this and I don't think you do either. I feel. Weird." he had taken on a more serious tone, but it was just Jackson "Weiiird because I'm stuck as a pink squishy baby who doesn't know what he's doing when he decides to **EXPERIMENT** on us." he huffed punching a pillow. Before grabbing a couple of things he found on their bed and throwing them at the wall. A paper back and shoes weren't going to break if thrown after all.  
>He crossed his arms, getting kind of heated again. Holt kept his fists clenched the whole time, knuckles white and tense.<br>Just sitting there on camera looking angry and staring at the wall.

"You gotta fix this even if it means breaking into the school. Seriously, I'll do it if you're too scared to. **You're **the smart one" he grabbed a pillow squishing it and punching it distractedly "You should have thought this through more."  
>Now he was just angry at Jackson in general.<br>"I know I was alright with you tryin' this.

But now I'm just hatin' we have this problem at all." Eyes flicking around to look at nothing in particular "I hate being stuck with you Jackie. And I hate being stuck **in** you right now."  
>Shakey breath.<br>"I always hate being stuck in you, but this is worse! Because I don't even get my own body now!"  
>Which was true, the fact that they transformed was always a good reminder of Holt's identity, that he wasn't just a classic case of multiple personality disorder that he was a real person with his own looks and life. Not just a case of the crazies.<p>

"It's stupid enough trying to share literally everything with you. Or tryin' to find a ghoul who's cool with only a half at that! You scared off the only ghoul willing to take both sides of this crazy train by making her decide between us!" he grumped.

Then a long dramatic sigh.

Sometimes he felt like considering apologising for venting at Jackson. But naw.  
>"If we have to go to school like this you better not wear your dorky glasses on me." he hissed before ending the video.<p>

Grumpy from that he threw all the pillows off his bed before stomping over to Crossfade's cage and pulling his chameleon out of his tank.  
>"Why're you all green buddy you know it's meee" he whined stroking him. Crossfade's opposable eyes scanned him and remained on Jackson's color compliment.<br>"Aw why you gotta be like that little guy."

Crossfade walked along his finger then grasped at nothing in particular with mitten hands.

"Yeah I gotcha…"

Messing around with his pet helped at least he felt cool enough to change back anyway. Putting Crossfade back in until he climbed away onto a branch. Plopping back in front of the laptop "All yours JackJack." he mumbled.

Holt took a deep breath before turning off the music and simultaneously popping off his headphones, trying to relax for the transformation. The less they struggled the less it hurt.

…

…

"Ummm" Holt opened his eyes. Headphones still in hand.

The act of seeing them there soundless set his heart pounding and his stomach turning.

"**What?!"**

He flailed in a sort of shock-horror, dropping them and listening to the faint ringing in his ears; the white noise of the silent house. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears from both the clarity of no music and his panic, cheeks feeling warm and hot.

"Crap I killed Jackson." he mumbled at first sort of joking with the thought, then the reality of even thinking such a statement. What if he **did?!**

He couldn't do this on his own, he couldn't figure out how to fix their current situation much less succeed academically long term.

**Mom would resent him forever if he was the only one left.**

He wanted his own place but not like this.

His first instinct was to put the music back on immediately, but ever since their trigger had changed from night and day, he honestly hadn't heard real silence in what felt like forever.

He forgot what prolonged quietness sounded like. Rather didn't sound like.

There was the off chance, whatever that potion did, had made their brain forget a trigger or something. What if he was bound to his beats as soon as he put back on a killer playlist?

So for 10 minutes he laid back and listened to their empty house.

Until he got too anxious to see if Jackson was ok.

After all, if he was gone, and only the "evil" one remained everyone would jump to conclusions. Chewing his lip he opened up FrightTunes and double clicked a playlist. A party mix.

Mumbling a thanks to the heavens as he put his hands to his head in relief, catching fire as per usual. He could feel himself blacking out, his mind submerging before he could think further into the trigger righting itself and what that ever that implied for the near future.


	5. Video Tag

Music! He instinctively curled up holding his ears, before he realised he wasn't losing himself. Oh no.  
>Ohhh crap crap crap!<p>

"No. no no no. NO!" he sat up horrified "I **can't **be stuck with the music trigger!" he wailed, before groaning and flopping into his pillows. "That's it. Life's not fair. Whatever powers that be, hate me and want me to be miserable forever." he whined, taking to speaking to himself. The club music beat and sang into his soul, and he realised he was trapped by it immediately. He had always taken pride in being the dominant personality at least.

Holt was cool, Holt was a monster, Holt had minor heat powers. He was tough enough to get piercings and tattoos, and got all the girls but Jackson. Jackson was normal, but normal in the good way too! He was the dominant personality! Because when it came down to it, at their natural state of silence, it was Jackson who remained, Jackson who was born first, Jackson who didn't need to be plugged in. He didn't have to worry about his phone dying or laptop glitching or CD skipping. He was just him, he was their base!

But now!? Jackson plopped forward onto the laptop wanting to bang his head, but the music was only louder over here so he sat up whining because he could barely hear himself think straight.

And he was blue. He was still blue.

Then again, maybe if the trigger changed there was a chance their body was trying to right itself, maybe they'd change back too… Jackson pouted. Doubtful. But it gave him a sliver of optimism.

Did this make Holt dominant personality? Might as well, Jackson couldn't even think straight. Then again Holt was too dumb to think things through at all so there went any semblance of working together on this. Jackson ran his hands through his thick free standing hair nervously, pulling open a text pad to maybe give Holt a list of things.. or explanations of… Jackson squinted having a hard time thinking straight. What did he even want to talk to Holt about?

He couldn't think through this music! How did Holt deal with this 24/7 ?!

Groaning he lowered the volume on the computer as it was blaring, he was surprised Mom hadn't woken up, but then again… wasn't Holt up like every night? He'd never really thought about what happened when he was "asleep" he wasn't often up around this time.

Jackson kept lowering the volume till his body felt shakey and feverish like on the verge of a transformation. Notching it up once or twice more till he felt better, confirming his theory that Holt didn't need 90+ decibel music constantly or he'd never be able to hear anyone, though it seemed the loudness was needed for transformation. Maybe it needed to be loud enough to reach through their thick skull.  
>They were really dumb for attempting any of this geez…<p>

Noticing the video left on his computer he pushed the computer closer to himself, turning up the volume on just the video's sound feed to he could distinguish it better.

He cringed seeing Holt in his skin, his radio announcer voice coming out of him, and what did he do to Jackson's hair?!

It was so creepy he had to start the video over just to listen to him. Rant. Mostly. He was expecting it though, what a jerk. Holt had given him the ok to experiment, then got angry when this happened. He was angry too but recognised it wasn't really either of their faults. Kind of his own, but dangit, at least they weren't dead.

Jackson frowned seeing Holt throw his shoes and current pleasure read against his wall. He was going to wake up Mom doing crap like that. Not to mention his paperback was getting it's cover bent…

Holt was a very angry version of himself, this is why Jackson wanted to separate to begin with. He didn't need this kind of negativity controlling his life. According to Holt's vid, he wanted to break into the school and go to Monster Juvie for sure.

Jackson shuddering at the thought, he could barely handle Monster High as it was, much less going to Juvie full of all the monsters who were too wild for normal monster school. He was already scared of that actually. The main ingredient to his experiment was a already common stolen ingredient for a certain party drug and he didn't need any reason for the school to check the footage- the only way he'd get in trouble for all of this.

Jackson kept a couple of notes on the insults Holt flung at him so he could fling some back. And how dare he say Frankie was _his _fault, she was the one who started dating Holt the same time she was going out with him. Plus it was Holt's fault Jackson kept standing her up!

Smoke was in the air again, as Jackson carefully put down the pillow he was singing.

Then smiled. At least he had… powers now sort of. That was the coolest benefit so far… Holt was just mad because now Jackson got to be the cool one. Putting a finger to his lip as he thought happily about potential popularity in school tomorrow. Getting to see what happened after someone cranked up the radio…

Hehe.

Looking over his notes he pulled open the web cam again. Switching to headphones to keep the music going without it interfering with the computer recording.

"Ok. First of all Holt, if I'm a pink ugly baby then you're calling Mom that too because she looks just like me, so quit hating on normies and insulting your own mother." he had to keep glancing at his notes having a hard time thinking clearly with this pop song he kind of liked.  
>"Second OF COURSE I'M TRYING TO FIX IT WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Ironically he… shouted to himself… "I don't want to be stuck as an ugly blueberry forever, and I don't want to wear your gross 70s on fire fashion choice. Also fix my hair I don't want all that gunk in it, I know yours stands up on it's own but so help me I will wash it out myself." he felt around his hair feeling it all sticky and warm. Not enjoying it. "Third I'm not getting into the whole Frankie thing again because arguing about what happened always takes hours, and I'm getting tired."<br>Jackson rested against his pillow "I've been out all day, had to make this stupid potion AND do my homework, AND went unconscious which is like, anti sleep. Which by the way I woke up in YOUR naked body. Which no I don't want to see again, so I'm going to be trying to fix this as soon as I possibly can. Hopefully it'll… wear off ok?" he shrugged. "I don't know what else to tell you."

He deleted his text notes before crossing his fingers, hovering the mouse over the pause button. Hoping that when he paused he could stay himself?

"Aw man…" he whined clicking and blacking out.

* * *

><p>Holt woke up to silence. Bizarre. Especially because his headphones were on his ears. Just not playing. He drummed this computer nervously having a hard time thinking clearly. Everything distracting him. The computer fan, Crossfade crawling around, the AC kicking in, the buzz of electronics being on. He tapped his finger on the spacebar lightly for like 3 minutes before he noticed Jackson's response vid. Holt cleared his throat before recording back, forcing his brain through the slog of silence. Nothing to even it out, and keep him on beat. Eyeing Jackson's study playlist tempted.

"Jackson your hair was stupid and in my face! I just improved it. If I have to go to school tomorrow I should totaaaally show off your new look dude~" he grinned trying to find some enjoyment in their awful situation. "You should be begging me to let me pick out your outfits, and style your life. That's why I'm here innit? To show you how to kick it like a cool kid!" he clicked his finger guns at the camera "I'm your fashion conscience after all right? Finally someone has blessed us with the ability to really pick out your clothes~" he smiled "I mean what are you going to do about it Jackie? I could always _forget _our headphones at home." he smiled evilly trying to take some confidence out of all this, using common threats Jackson had used in the past. Or if anything common Holt fears.

He had energy to spare having been pretty much out all day while Jackson looked tired, his gross shy voice slouching in his blue body.

Ignoring the bit about Frankie since like Jackson he didn't necessarily want to have that argument again. He had to look strong to Jackson, and not let him know he missed no, needed his music. It kept his brain straight. But, he couldn't know any weaknesses or he'd use them against him.  
>Waving bye to the camera he ended the recording and pressed play. Sighing as he wanted to jam out to the sick tunes he heard on his way out.<p>

* * *

><p>Oh hey the music had just sort of faded out and started around the same place in his consciousness stream. That was neat.<p>

Jackson frowned at Holt trying to threaten him scrunching up his face and recording straight away back candidly "Holt. You _can't. _And I mean it. You need me to get back to normal. Besides, I know you don't think of the consequences of our actions but _I do. _If anyone finds out about… this. We'll be in big trouble. The ingredients I used uh, let's just say if Bloodgood found out, it'd just be you in monster child prison for awhile, and you do not want to know what it takes for other MONSTERS to be sent to juvie… " Jackson frowned.

"We're going to have to pretend to be eachother. At least until I can get an antidote. Mom can't know, no one can know. It… doesn't look like it's going to be wearing off tonight." he bit his lip "So we might have to go to school tomorrow like this. The sooner we can get to school the sooner I can fix things, but you have to promise me Holt! That you'll try to appear normal? We're in the same boat, and I won't have you sinking it. That means glasses. And hair. Down." he pointed firmly down: A command.

* * *

><p>Holt made a face "Tch… yeah alright." he mumbled listening to him. "I still think you look better like this though" he motioned to himself "Without your gross mustard button downs. But fiiineee~ I'll wear your dumb clothes" he was dramatically sighing "And I'll wear your stuuupid glasses." he glanced over at the night stand thinking about possible improvements to them. Maybe if they came in red…<br>Then put his hand to his chest "You want **me **to act normal Jackson how about trying my voice."  
>Holt then closed his eyes trying to look overly pitiful and shy on camera "I-I mean… I got <em>yours <em>down flat… Not like… I'm a humungous… dork or anything" he mumbled shyly before breaking into a smile and cackling. Having Jackson's voice down perfectly.

* * *

><p>Jackson looked horrified at Holt's Jackson impression. Him sounding perfectly like him.<br>"What. Since when could you do that!?" he asked mostly concerned as to if his voice had been abused.

* * *

><p>"We have the same vocal chords dude!" Holt scoffed "Don't tell me you've never tried ta replicate the Holtster? No? Huh." then smiled, "Don't you remember that weird string of texts you got from Draculaaaauraaa? Talkin' 'bout why she thought you were a cool friend but wasn't interested, and you were just so confused."<br>He cleared his throat again going into Jackson's voice "Draculauraaa I really like you. I just don't know how to tell you! Please answer my voicemails!"  
>He stifled a smile, then broke out in a full grin.<p>

* * *

><p>Jackson sat with a horrified face, feeling like he was steaming. Feeling his cheeks hot. Jackson pressed record.<p>

"Hoooolt. Why do you do everything to sabotage my life…" he pouted, squishing a pillow then sighed knowing the answer "Ok. Well you have my voice down just." he scratched his eyebrow "I'm really tired ok? It's not too long till school. Let me out during passing period, pick out an outfit for me I don't know how to dress like you…  
>Wear my glasses.<br>Appear normal.  
>Go to my classes, you can take notes, don't draw any attention to yourself. Don't raise your hand, sit behind someone tall. Ask InvisiBilly if he can get us into Lab again. Oh and Mom said to do laundry tonight." he remembered.<br>"Get that gunk out of my hair, and update me in a few hours ok? Good night."

With that he ended the recording and exited out of FrightTunes, pretending he was actually sleeping as he laid back for the transformation. Instead of just burrowing into their brain for a nap.

* * *

><p>Holt blinked. Expecting more of a response from his pranking than whining, but his buddy seemed tired.<p>

He'd have to save the other stories of voice misuse for when Jackson could fully appreciate them.

He was a little peeved that Jackson didn't give him a chance to give him instructions back, like how to act like him, but hopefully if they played their cards right, they wouldn't have to interact or prove themselves too much tomorrow.

Or... in a few hours.


	6. Gotta Go Fast

Holt dried himself off after his shower, briefly remembering Jackson's jab about how he didn't want to see Holt's naked body.

Holt rolled his eyes.

It was the same body, genius.

Brushing his bangs downward, inwardly sighing as he looked at the red strands of hair in their shared brush.

He rested his elbows on the counter and looked at the blurry Jackson behind the fog, streaking a clawing mark around his eye's reflection. Then getting up and drying his hair primping his new body for the school day. Upset Jackson wouldn't let him do his own style, especially as he pulled on a different signature yellow button down and a slightly different sweater vest. Looking at the blue bow tie left on the counter he made a face. On one hand it was the dorkiest accessory on the planet. On the other hand. He really missed seeing that color.

Tying it proved to be slightly more difficult than he imagined, but the skewed knotted mess only made Holt feel more like it was really him in there.

Then placing on, if only for Mom's belief… Jackson's dorky glasses.

Just about ready to go, post-breakfast, and after a lazy laundry job of mostly dumping Jackson's clothes on their bed and stuffing his own into his drawers and respective places.

He had no idea laundry was so boring when he didn't have something to jam out to.

He found himself always tapping on something nervously, and had been singing stifled in the shower. Practicing Jackson's voice for a good while in there.

Ready to face his mother and the school day, gathering up Jackson's homework, following his sticky note instructions on what supplies they needed that day.

Finally catching his Mom before she ran off to work, in the kitchen drinking coffee silently, still waking up.

"Hey Mom." he smiled heart pounding whenever he was around her like she'd see through them immediately. And actually wanting to tell her, so he could complain to **someone.  
><strong>This however was something he had been looking forward to as soon as he thought about it last night in the laundry room.

A failsafe Jackson never thought he was going to crack, and had clearly forgotten about for Holt's sake.

"Off to class, can I have my car keys?" he smiled containing himself.

She reached nonchalantly into her pocket and handed them off, glancing at him once, deeming he passed the test.

He wanted to jump up on the table and scream happiness to the heavens, then do a guitar solo running off to the car. But instead he had to stifle a nod and walk briskly to Jackson's car.

Laughing as he could unlock it and sit down. Recalling the old times of Jackson trying to hide their keys and their brain having enough information to lead Holt to them. Finally leaving them in the trusty hands of his mother and her lockbox every night.

Holt wasn't allowed to drive the car. They had had... Too many incidents.

From scratches, to people going too slow, to the speed limit suggesting something too slow, to Jackson suddenly getting pulled over and having no memory as to _why,_ but he had transform back if _only _because it was Jackson's ugly mug on the driver's license.

He didn't know why Jackson cared though, any tickets or damage were paid off with Holt's DJ money after all.

Though it could have had to do with the fact that Jackson had a _license_… and technically Holt _didn't_. But they were the same person so that didn't matter right?

Holt revved up the car plugging his iCoffin into the converter and setting it to Jackson's music on full blast. Sure he didn't have his own tunes to listen to but Jackson had a few epic soundtrack stuff that didn't set him off.

Trying to jam out to what he could get he squealed out of their driveway and off to school.

A couple of students raised their eyebrows at what sounded like the thumping of a subwoofer or something coming from an incoming car that screeched diagonally into two parking spaces. The volume shutting off and "Jackson" emerging, though no one really noticed or cared. Maybe if people had a reason to be suspicious they may have but most monsters were already getting to class.

Holt hop skipped over half the steps to lead to the main hall, sort of keeping his usual strut without thinking about it. He knew Jackson's schedule… he just wasn't used to it.

Reaaaally wanting to use the spare time to catch up with people, but the less interactions the better until he could get Jackson the chemicals he needed. Luckily Jackson was fairly unpopular, and no one really expected to speak to Holt till he was supposed to come out later in the day.

Whistling to sort of nullify the headache he was getting from glasses and lack of music. Holt didn't have much practice getting to G-ogre-phy, usually getting passing period not, before school time.

He knew Jackson had it though.  
>He checked his iCoffin for the time.<br>Holt had 8 minutes to figure out where this class was, the halls slowly vacating as students hurried off to class. Him only late because of his shower, but according to their mother Holt smelt like an ashtray that morning.

But, so did the bathroom, and he had a feeling a candle would just make that worse.

Wandering down the hall he kept getting distracted by everyone's little mini conversations, wanting to eaves drop now that he kept hearing things. He went around in a circle and kept passing identical looking rooms. This was slightly harder than he thought it was going to be.

Whilst peeking in a classroom to see if anything was jogging his memory as to which class it was exactly, he noticed everything was suddenly shadier.  
>Looking up to see a shadow looming over him.<p>

Seeing Manny Taur didn't immediately strike fear into his heart like it did with Jackson. He knew Jackson had issues with him, but whenever he and Holt hung out he seemed like an ok guy.

Still he looked around "Uhm what's up?" he asked in Jackson's meek voice.

"You're in my hallway." the minotaur huffed sounding like he was having a bad morning already.

Holt opened his mouth noticing the threatening demeanor. "I thought this was the social studies hallway." he answered dumbly.

Wrong answer apparently because before he knew it he was getting flung over Manny's shoulder.  
>"Woah woah hey dude what <em><strong>are<strong>_ you doing?!" he squealed normal voice leaking in, though no one noticed, heck the halls seemed to be relatively empty. Guess everyone had scurried off to class.  
>Manny huffed at Holt struggling, like he wasn't used to it.<br>"What do you think I'm doing?" his uneven voice ran out.  
>Holt was surprised Manny was even listening to him. Though noticed Manny was holding him against his shoulder as practically as possible.<p>

"**Looks like you're squeezing my butt, gaywad!**" Holt shot back snickering, hoping to maybe get flung off him so he could scurry off and escape, maybe just skip the first class and scribble song lyrics in the library. But Manny seemed to only speed up, gaining momentum as suddenly Holt was flung into a coffin.. er locker. Well big enough that he could stand, but was still trapped. It being relatively empty, almost like its purpose was to be stood in. As the door shut in his face and he was in a dark place. He kicked the locker loudly trying to make a ruckus.

"What's the big **deal** Manny!"

"The big deal is you're going to regret talking to me today normie!" he huffed before stalking off. Leaving Holt to stew.

Well someone was overcompensating.

He kicked the locker taking out his pent up energy for like 5 minutes, just making noise. But at that point the bell was ringing and he was late for class. And no one was in the hallway.

Didn't stop him from kicking more. He would have yelled, but he didn't know how to yell in Jackson's voice without it coming out like he was announcing the next song. Kicking was louder anyway.

**Man**! He felt like he was taking _punishment_ for something Jackson did. Holt never did **anything** wrong to Manny after all, and he was fine with him. Well besides insulting him… just now.

He pushed against the locker in a mad bashing fit for 5 minutes, remembering their lockers had external skeleton locks not internal ones he could mess with.

Then started kicking again.

_No locker can hold Holt Hyde!_

Not giving up. Almost willing to sit through this prison just so he didn't have to ask Jackson for help but then again, being a nerd was his expertise.

Tapping his fingers and testing every which way he could think of he realised he was still stuck in a locker.

Grumbling he pulled a common method of communication out, sticking a sticky note on the wall of this cramped space and a marker, he could barely move his elbows and the sticky note was barely readable in this darkness but he was more concerned about running their iCoffin low by using a typing app, versus just using it as a faint light to read.

Not that he cared whether or not Jackson got his time out normally but today they needed him out, and he couldn't have him running out of batteries. Plus it was kind of hard to switch between that and the music app.

_**this a common day for u?**_

He wrote smugly before pulling his headphones up and pressing play, whining again with want as he heard the music start up, feeling more like it was rocking him to sweet sleep with it's lullabies rather than forcing him out like silence did.

* * *

><p>Holt woke up to silence again, a second note on top of the first, holding up the paused playlist to the sticky note.<p>

**omg what did you say to Manny?**

Holt rolled his eyes, what did HE do to Manny?! What did Jackson do?! Clearly he was a target more than just his normieness, maybe Manny was just mad he was deprived of Holt's awesomeness whenever Jackson was around~

The marker was still uncapped. He took the time to add crude drawings to the inside of what he assumed was Manny's empty locker. Before writing again on a new slapped on sticky note.

_**y u blamin me for evrythin? how do u uslly get out?**_

Music again. Aw man that was the song that had been stuck in his head all morning too, he wanted to listennn!

* * *

><p>Holt blinked looking at the new note.<p>

**did you try calling or texting someone for help?**

Oh heck no. Holt was too prideful to even ask Jackson for help much less letting friends know he was in a locker. No wonder Jackson's reputation was so low.

_**r u stupid?**_

_**i asked u for help**_

_**now help genius. **_

* * *

><p>A new note appeared as Holt was getting slightly tired of constant transformations. Wanting to solve the problem faster.<p>

**Pride isn't worth missing first period.**

**Just call Frankie I think she's in this hallway. **

* * *

><p><em><strong>no way dude!<strong>_

_**u have to have another way out**_

_**try melting it with my powers**_

* * *

><p><strong>You don't have any powers. You know that. <strong>

* * *

><p><em><strong>well not as a normie!<strong>_

_**that y we in here**_

* * *

><p><strong>Holt on a good day you can melt hard plastic<strong>

**and this isn't a good day**

* * *

><p>Holt banged his head against the locker again having half a mind to make Jackson wait it out, but he didn't know how to force him to listen to music. Versus taking away the music to hyde. He sighed pulling out another note<p>

_**any other ideas?**_

* * *

><p><strong>Try kicking the bottom shelf, like the wall behind you. 5 times<strong>

Holt cocked his head confused by that one. It wouldn't really help them. The confusion possibly throwing him off enough that he didn't think as to why Jackson asked him to do it, rather than doing it himself.

Kicking the bottom shelf 5 times loudly.

Well that was dumb. Jackson must have just liked making him feel stup-

"WOAH" he shouted as a tentacle wrapped around his ankle and flipped the back trap door Holt getting sent flying backwards into darkness. Before he knew it he was getting thrown into water with a splash. Gasping as he tread water grabbing for the stoney bricks of land. Looking behind him he saw multiple tentacles flailing in the catacombs. Running off before any could grab him again. Sneakers squeaking as he was sopping wet.

* * *

><p>Running wildly into the catacombs was not normally a good idea, but he'd been down here a few times making tunes with Operetta, and had immediately recognized a familiar staircase that led back up to the school.<p>

He pushed his bangs to the side so gross water wouldn't get in his face as much. Rolling his eyes as he was actually running off to class, when he had every right to skip.

Jackson was...

As much as he didn't want to admit it.

...Right

They couldn't bring any more attention to themselves and skipping a class as Jackson was the first way to do that. Though he could always blame it on 'the blackouts' codeword for, an awesome DJ decided to skip snooze town and really learn something.

_Maybe not on the first day though._

Finally making it up to the hallways he immediately slipped on the tile. Hitting his chin on the floor. Glancing around to make sure no one saw that he thought he saw a greenish glow and a camera snap.

Rolling his eyes, he ran off to class, an image of Jackson splat on the ground on the Ghostly Gossip crossing his mind.

Then snickering to himself.

**That's right**, he was in Jackson's body. Jackson being a clutz on a gossip blog was the kind of publicity he liked.

Squeaking off to class his shoes slid on the tile, swinging open the door to G-ogre-phy, panting as he made something of a dramatic entrance in.

Barely anyone looked up though.

The teacher just pointed at an empty spot in the classroom as Holt struggled to climb there plopping down and catching his breath.

A few students scooted away from him but that was most likely because he was Jackson right now.

Or breathing heavily and sopping wet with weird smelling water.

He was too distracted by the events to focus on anything the teacher was saying, too wet to pull out an equally wet notebook and take notes.

He tapped his foot counting down the minutes until class was over, trying to remember the next song that'd be playing on his playlist right now if he could only have his music back. Considering putting it on a low enough volume to listen to, but he had a feeling with so many people and a teacher 'd be frowned upon. He made a mental note to do that privately at lunch.

Too distracted to realize he'd "remembered" where his class was in the panic mad rush to get there. Despite never setting foot in there before.


	7. ADHD

After the morning's incident, they decided it'd be best of Holt wasn't in the hallways.

So, Jackson stalked down the hallway in Holt's traffic light red clothing avoiding eye contact with everyone, keeping Holt's music pretty loud and actually on his head so he wouldn't be bothered.

He saw Venus wave to him mouthing something. He shrugged pointing to his headphones, walking past her disappointed face. This was possibly going to be easier than he thought… Holt was popular though, girls kept smiling at him, or winking at him. Heath waved excitedly when he spotted him across the hall, looking like he had something to tell him.

Jackson grimaced back.

Hands in his pockets sort of hunched over like he was in trouble, he appeared more like he was sick and going to the nurses office than to his next class. He had woken up damp, but his unusually high body temperature was already drying him off like an oven.

He actually felt hot too though, not from his fire elemental body temperature but from the sheer pressure of pulling this off. Everyone was going to see right through him, everyone was going to notice.

There was no way they could keep this up. Jackson didn't have the confidence to pull off Holt's voice.

He jumped at someone squeezing his shoulder to get his attention. Stumbling forward like a spazz and knocking over some werewolf girl, who growled at him, picked up her books and strut off.  
>Turning around to see InvisiBilly pop into sight.<p>

Jackson's eyes widened. But making eye contact now he couldn't escape the conversation.

Lowering his music to his shoulders so he could still hear it drumming into his skull.

"How'd it go?"

Jackson strained to hear him suddenly getting distracted by the noise in the hall and his song.

"How'd what go?" he coughed in that ambiguous tone that often made his Mom double check who she was talking to on the phone.

"Jackson's… thing" he made that weird face since they were keeping it on the down low, and InvisiBilly was aware the halls had ears. Glancing around for any ghastly glows or purple hair.

"OHh!" he spilled out. Scratching his neck nervously. Then shrugged, leaving less of his voice to analyze.

"You just seem kind of.." InvisiBilly hunched over sticking his hands in his hoodie giving a small impression "Sick?"

Jackson grinned hoping that'd reassure him "Right as rain!" he half sang out.

"Jackson just didn't tell me what he was doing, just that it seemed risky?" InvisiBilly shrugged raising his eyebrow and looking Holt over like something was off.

"Haha! That normie never tells me anything!" he half sang out trying to keep the melodic tone to Holt's voice. "Oh but he wants you to get him into _**there **_again tonight?" he asked more hurriedly and hushed, obscuring his true tones.

InvisiBilly bit his lip "Might have to take a rain check on that, I have dance practice right after school."

Jackson couldn't help but spill out a laugh "**You? **Have dance practice?" he asked incredulously, it being easier to say things unfiltered as Holt. That's how he had to think of it, not mean; just a little unfiltered.

InvisiBilly shrugged smiling "It's a long story. Not exactly one of the dancers but I have to be there, I kind of made a commitment at auditions~" and it was throwing out his back.

InvisiBilly looked happy like he was blushing but not quite; Jackson suddenly losing sight of his peer, until InvisiBilly was bumped into by an ignorant passerby and hurriedly became visible. Looking slightly embarrassed that he forgot to keep himself opaque.

"Anyway, tell Jackson to text me. I might be able to get him access tomorrow." he shrugged "I'm not here 100% of the time though" he winked as Jackson slowly caught the word play in that sentence. Before he could say goodbye InvisiBilly was gone.

Jackson was still jarred by the encounter, he apparently looked sick when walking like himself?

Taking a deep breath to get more confidence he put his headset back on and marched to his next class. Even more of a dork now that he was trying to carry Holt's walking swagger. But how was he supposed to know how his alternate personality walked? He had a hard enough just talking like the guy.

* * *

><p>Jackson sat down in his usual spot in Clawculus pulling out damp notes, quickly deleting some videos from his iCoffin save for the biggest one. He felt like he needed it for some reason, but besides catching on fire and having guilty evidence of scorching his bathroom, there was no practical information in it. If anything it just showed he was experimenting on himself and that he probably should delete it before anyone got a hold of it.<p>

Biting his lip he decided he'd think about it later. The warning bell ringing as Mr. Rotter set up his things and glanced Jackson's way, surprised that he was there early. Rather that "Holt" was there early.

Jackson scrawled out on squishy paper with a ball point pen:

_Take video notes. Please!_

Then considered as everyone took their seats... He wasn't in trouble for being here as Holt..

Maybe no one would notice and he could take the notes himself! He was kind of sitting off to the side, and as ghouls flowed in gossiping amongst themselves he figured attention wouldn't be drawn to Holt attentively doing math, there were far more interesting things to be invested in.

Taking off his headphones and pushing the volume down as low as he could muster he waited patiently for class to start. The bell hushing half the class as their teacher began his lecture. Writing out the lesson plan.

Jackson squinted, recognising the date. Then blinked. Realisation sinking in.

"Oh my ghoul…" he whispered to himself "Holt needs glasses…"

He bit his lip excited by this discovery and wondering how he hadn't noticed sooner. He always just assumed Holt somehow got good vision like how Holt somehow got blue skin.  
>And clothes…<p>

Squinting at the first problem he as he reached in his pocket for his lenses, no one was looking at him after all, they wouldn't notice if the suave Holt Hyde slid on some assistance.

That was until a slew of giggles and ringtones broke out among the class and everyone started glancing his way. An alert popped up on his iCoffin too, checking out the new Ghostly Gossip's beautiful picture of him laying on the ground in a puddle. Some caption about him skipping class to be a klutz or something.

He face palmed as everyone started looking at him, and the teacher noticed.

"Holt Hyde!" Mr. Rotter pointed at him with chalk "Headphones off."

Jackson sat up straight "What-?! I didn't-"

"You are distracting my class Mr. Hyde. Do you want detention?!" he hissed in a heavy accent.

His face felt hot.

"Mr. Hyde! This is not your class!" he pointed out "Do not make me ask you again."

"But-" he sputtered, the class looking at him. Finally just sighing and rolling his eyes. Pouting. Wow this wasn't fair at all.

He drew an arrow to his message to Holt before exiting out the music app, headphones sliding to his shoulders.

* * *

><p>In a flaming jerk the class gawked at Jackson standing up and punching the air.<br>"Aww yeah!" Holt half sang out, in a very un-Jackson-like way.  
>Reflexive. He looked around his surroundings. All eyes on him, even the decorative ones Mr. Rotter kept in a jar on his desk.<p>

"C-Clawculus! My favorite!" he tried to salvage quickly sitting down tight lipped and pulling on his glasses quickly. While everyone in the class giggled again.

Mr. Rotter sighed returning to his lecture. While Holt sank lower into his desk, feeling not so confident today. 'Cept when he glanced up and nervously smiled at the cutest ghoul in school looking at them smiling kindly and concerned, her cheek stitch pinched from her smile, as she quickly looked away back to the board.

Holt glanced at their iCoffin still open to Spectra's blog. Realising why everyone had been giggling and looking at him. Beside the whole shouting his transformation catch phrase thing…

He rubbed his chin still sore from earlier, he may have bit his tongue come to think about it. Looking at his iCoffin as he heard a phone alert through his shouldered headset.

_**Are you ok, you look like you took a nasty spill. Let me know if you need stitches lol c:**_

Taking the time to adjust his text's contact to "Frankie FINE!" since Jackson seemed to busy to change it back, he went through his pictures to see if he had any better pictures of her for her contact icon. The one Jackson left on their phone looked like a school photo, **super **_lame. _

He glanced up to see a few classmates staring at him. Weirded out till Mr. Rotter tapped his foot impatiently, and a familiar name broke through the focus fog "Jackson, have you finished problem 4 yet?" he asked loudly like it was the 10th time he'd called on him.

Holt frowned sitting up straight, looking to the board covered in writing, then to his own paper that just stated he needed to take video notes. **Oh**. How long had that been there?

"Uhh I'm gettin' there…?" he shrugged slouching a bit hoping that'd be acceptable.

Mr. Rotter narrowed his eyes "I would have thought you'd be ahead of the class by now Mr. Jekyll."

Holt just shrugged resisting the urge to doodle, his foot tapping anxiously under his desk. Fingers doing an alternate beat on his notes, as he struggled to keep staring at the teacher. Glancing at the window.

The attention was on him for another 30 seconds of silence before the teacher decided to stop picking on him.

Another text alert from Ms. Frankie Fine bleeped quietly to him.

_**Sorry! :C **_

_Awww! _She blamed herself for that didn't she? Holt felt bad that Frankie thought herself distracting when it was just his own nature. He hurriedly typed back.

_**don't worry. u still fine for a stein c:**_

Smiling before Mr. Rotter was staring at him again. Walking closer to his row and pausing the lecture.

"Do you need to use the little monster's room Mr. Jekyll?" he asked slightly more kindly than just a scolding.

That's when Holt noticed his own constant foot tapping and fidgeting wasn't as silent as he thought. However that wasn't a bad excuse to get out of here for a bit. "Uuuh yes?" he smiled.

"Yes, what? Mr. Jekyll?"

"Yes… I do?" Holt guessed meekly, Jackson's voice not hard to accomplish when he had someone looming over him. Did the other half of his life **always** have someone standing ominously over him?

Mr. Rotter rubbed his seafoam green temples letting the lack of "Sir" from his star student, slide. Then pointed at the door as Holt grabbed their phone and scurried out the door, noting the time.

Since he didn't really need to go, Holt put his headphones on; he could probably listen to a low volume song or two. Setting the volume at 0, then raising it slowly until he felt the chill of the volume barrier and lowering it again. Walking as slow as possible to the bathroom, going in zigzags down the empty hall.

Finally getting to the vacant bathroom and leaning against the wall straining to hear his songs right. He could make out the beat but lack of certain garbled lyrics and some of the trebel was practically missing. Regardless it had been better than the silence of class he had to endure all day. Nodding his head lightly.

"Not like you to skip class."

Holt dropped the iCoffin, it jerking on the headphone jack before bungee jumping to the floor with a slap. He hurriedly removed his headphones to his shoulders looking at the sink turn on by itself, then a concerned and suspicious looking InvisiBilly, appearing to be washing his hands.

Holt scrambled to pick the phone up, sticking it in his pocket and habitually plugging back in. Resisting the urge to push his headphones back up in the few second window he usually had to avoid silence.

"I didn't know **you **liked to peek on people in the bathroom." Holt shot back.

InvisiBilly seemed to cock his head at the melodic tones of his voice.

Holt quickly sticking both hands in his back pockets going full Jackson and hunching a bit, clearing his throat "Just uh… a little weird to have you invisible in here is all."

The fading boy dried his hands on a paper towel "I'm uh always invisible Jackson? It's staying visible that's the hard part" he smiled meekly as Holt could see straight through him at the moment. No wonder classmates sometimes thought he was a ghost.

Then recalling who let them in Mad Science the yesterday.

"Oh! Are you availil-" Holt started excitedly.

"-ble, after School to get you into Mad Science? No, Holt asked me already but you two seem to have a.." he looked Holt over "Communication problem."

InvisiBilly seemed amused by them somehow, which made Holt's skin crawl. He never really knew Invisi well.

"You going to try again? Whatever you were doing?" he asked smirking at 20% visibility "Or … trying to fix something…?" he asked popping out of view.

Then laughed loudly, Holt just shifting to a pissed off face. "Aw man just messing with you~" he slapped his shoulder as the door opened and closed on his own.

"Tch…" Holt huffed "Just our luck." He kicked the wall a few times, familiar fiery anger rearing up again. He wanted to fix this **asap **and he might have to wait another day! This was stupid! He veered over to the mirrors staring at his reflection for a few minutes pouting, leaning over the sink. He had time to kill in here after all, might as well look at his problem.

Remind himself why he was trying to fix this...

Checking the time he washed his hands and opened the door leaving, strutting back to class with low tunes.  
>As the bathroom door closed a second time, InvisiBilly swallowed nervously still in the bathroom that entire time, watching.<p>

_What the heck was that?_

* * *

><p>Holt propped up their iCoffin pointed at the board, setting it to record, then zooming and focusing until it seemed sufficient for Jackson's needs.<p>

It wasn't that he was slacking so much; as this wasn't his class.

Jackson would have to deal with being mid semester in Music Theory later today after all, it wasn't just Holt being stupid or whatever…

He smiled looking at Frankie diligently taking notes. Briefly thinking about how Jackson was sharing classes with her all year. Holt guessed he was just patiently waiting for her to press play.

But Holt wasn't as patient as him. Just didn't have as much exposure to her shocking personality.

Looking out the window, then to the clock he counted down the minutes till class was done. Shrugging whenever he was called on he doodled in his notes and occasionally caught things like assignment information.

He gathered up his things 10 minutes before class was over, so he was able to run out of class the instant the bell rang. Then stopped in the hallway before it was completely filled. Remembering what Jackson had scolded him on.

Holt never liked giving up time to Jackson, since Jackson tended to _hog _time, or wouldn't let him out for full days. His eyes narrowed, or that one week on the farm…

He was reluctant to give him passing period. Spotting someone big in a red shirt down the hall though, he slowly pulled his headphones up to his ears and turned up the music.


	8. Brains of a Feather

It was becoming jarring to come out to music. Loud music too. He felt like Holt made it unnecessarily loud. Unless it was just his preferred volume to come out dancing to. Jackson didn't jump. He didn't sing.

He cringed coming out to the flames and beats.

Disorienting to be mid stride but they were both used to coming out in the middle of actions. Walking was a whole lot less confusing than coming out in the middle of eating something, or that time the power went out while Holt was in the shower.

Both boys forever thankful that they came out at all and the other hadn't stolen the whole day or skipped turns. One big long life of tug-o-war with time. Things were easier when the trigger was a nice consistant night and day thing. Maybe it'd turn into something like sleep later on. But music worked ok for now. Well atleast it _did _until Jackson realised how difficult it was to stay in a music bubble. He was halfway to lunch and had gotten what? Half an hour this whole day? With spotty notes too.

He sighed, brushing past the buzz of students on their way to classes, not turning down the volume since for the moment he'd rather listen to that then the morning gossip that probably included his image face-planted by the entrance of the catacombs. He hadn't heard alternative songs like these at their proper volume in a while after all. However forced to constantly hear it was getting annoying.

Jackson veered off to a nook by the lockers changing the playlist to something slightly more upbeat while looking at the video Holt took, then grumbling because if he pressed play it tended to pause his music in favor of the new sound application. He'd need an external source to keep him, him before he could even check if Holt hadn't just zoomed in on Frankie the whole time like a creep.

He still had time to get to English, considering taking the same strategy of holding out as Holt as long as he could before the teacher shot him down. Pulling out Holt's note for Clawculus he noticed, while there were some numbers on the page they didn't necessarily make much sense and it was mostly doodles of himself, and what appeared to be a carefully thought out picture of deuce with overly detailed snakes.  
>Jackson squinted at what else he'd left on the page<p>

Song lyrics? Then Holt had used the lined paper as a music staff and had been possibly writing out a melody.

While more productive than Jackson expected, it still wasn't math notes. Hopefully the video was salvageable because he wasn't doing so great understanding differentials and had wanted to get clarification today.

He looked at his blue hand, still frustrated by the situation, a sense of dread sweeping over him as he started to lose some hope of getting an antidote fixed. Just really hoping it'd be something that'd wear off.

Then standing up straight as he realised students were giving him concerned or sympathetic looks as he was wilting in the hallway. Walking at a hunched sad slant.

He picked up his demeanor, forcing a smile. Trying to walk to the beat.

Looking out for students he knew in the crowd, knowing most everyone with their small community but friends especially were a frightful thought right now, he didn't want to have anyone talking to him when he wasn't sure how to pull off Holt quite right.

Avoiding InvisiBilly who was actually visible near the end of the hallway, probably because he was talking to Scarah.  
>Not making eye contact with Clawdeen having a growl-off with her sister over a scarf.<p>

And giving a nod of greeting at Deuce escorting his queen to class.

He wanted to talk to them, they'd probably greet him a bit easier in this form, but his personality remained the same, and Holt socially awkward…? Was somehow _worse_ than being his shy self. If only because it was more jarring for friends to recognise.

English didn't take long to get to, remembering there were a few extra empty seats in that class, he changed his usual seating arrangement to the chair directly behind where Slow Moe usually sat. Hoping he could hide behind the incredibly tall zombie once he arrived, at the expense of flies landing on his work.

There was a reason that seat was empty after all.

Pulling out the book the class had been reading he pulled his headphones down to his shoulders again and minimized the volume. It still clinking some amount of staticy sounds to the silent classroom but he couldn't go any quieter. It was a medical condition…

Not the first one there, Ghoulia somehow already seated before faster students arrived. She groaned a greeting that had slight surprise to it towards Jackson.

Jackson just shrugged not knowing how else to explain Holt's perfect student behavior. Opening the book they were reading, just trying to get ahead of the class before it was group read. Wishing the teacher had passed out the analysis worksheets before the bell rang so he could get some work done.

Ghoulia sat next to Slow Moe usually, so was very close to Jackson, turning to look at him.

Jackson looked up slowly to her still staring dead eyes.

She moaned and pointed slowly at the book.

"Uhh I'm on page 150?" he answered.

She cocked her head pointing behind him, then at him making a noise that sounded like a yawn. Wow Jackson needed to brush up on his zombese.

But it sounded more confused and interested than accusatory.

"Um… Jackson's making me read it, he's already finished it?" he lied, hushed classroom voice trying to sound deeper like Holt's. He was pretty sure she had asked him if they were both that far along in the reading or just Jackson was.

Jackson knew it was common information that they shared some amount of knowledge but not necessarily memories.

Ghoulia smiled like she was happy he was actually doing the reading then asked something in a voice that was quiet and really obscure.

Jackson squinted the music getting in the way.  
>"I-I'm sorry?" he pointed at his headphones.<p>

Ghoulia was speaking up but the bell rang loudly and they both shifted back to their seats attentively.

Jackson got an alert noise piling over the music, and he looked down at his iCoffin.

_**You should show up to class more often. c:**_

Oh, from Ghoulia! Jackson smirked. Feeling wanted, until he realised she was more or less asking for Holt to take up Jackson's usual class time.  
>But for the moment she thought Holt was trying to be a good student.<br>Which Jackson wouldn't have minded either.

Someone needed to pull his weight after all…

Slow Moe was… conveniently absent or incredibly late for class.

Texting back to Ghoulia quickly hoping the teacher would assume he was changing his playlist or something.

_**I would but**_

He started the text before.

"Music off, Holt." the teacher spoke up sharply but nonchalantly. He hadn't done anything wrong, they were just assuming he was taking time away from Jackson. Holt didn't have a history of being in there to get a good grade for his smart half.

He looked at Ghoulia making a 'You see?' sort of face before sending the half written conveniently written text.

Before exiting out the music app and taking his own leave, making a very Jackson sigh on his way out.

* * *

><p>Holt flinched, restraining himself after the last time he came out in the middle of class. Heart beating fast as he resisted yelling something. Smiling though, tapping his finger on the desk, looking around to assess his surroundings. This class had a window overlooking one of the sports fields so he kept straining to see that, glasses making it easier.<p>

He flicked his piercing for 3 minutes while the teacher explained something about symbolism and Holt pulled his music app back up, then bit his lip looking at their charge for the day. He still needed it up in case Jackson needed it… Exiting out.

Then slouched in his chair pulling the book up to himself on a random page to look like he was reading it. Kicking back. He didn't know what page they were on. Had they already announced that? He leaned over to look at Ghoulia's book. She angled it towards him till he saw the page number and Holt slowly flipped there.

Following along with the student reader. Or trying to. His eyes kept going to different spots on the page, and he didn't know who any of these characters were.

He'd only read one book series because Jackson made him, and it really messed him up. He didn't want to get attached to any old wizards who were killed by their trusted spies. He got so angry after that book he stopped reading. Briefly wondering how the story ended as it did get a lot of praise, he recalled.

Without the music though he found himself tapping his pencil to the desk, trying to stare at the book, but it was hard to focus without a beat keeping his brain in sync. The class kept reading but the teacher ambled his way slowly down his row. And Holt stopped jittering looking at the third person to stand over him today.  
>It was starting to give him <em>anxiety <em>or something…  
>"What's up?" he asked raising his eyebrows, barely moving from his slouch.<p>

"Just checking on you, are you alright?" they asked quietly as the class continued to read the teacher leaning over and keeping this private.

"Why?" Holt wasn't used to talking to authority figures this much.

"I think you're distracting your peers with your.. fidgeting." the teacher made a face but it was more of concern.

Holt kept being oblivious to just how much he was moving around, but apparently it was noticeable. "Naw, uhh. We were…"

He tried to think of a lie. Energy drink overdose? Did they ever have this problem before. Well there was that one time that…

"Trying some medication for Holt." he explained lying through his teeth, having a hard time keeping his voice down for the class's sake, "Uh yeah and it just makes me all over the place. Probably won't do that again, woo. Quite the doozy."

The teacher gave them a sympathetic smile "As long as you get your work done." he said patting them on the shoulder and checking on another student who had passed out on their propped up hand.

Wait was that due today? Holt looked at the page passed out on his desk. Heart beat picking up with dread as he read **Classwork **written across the top. _Shooot. _

Writing Jackson's name at the top of the page he looked over the confusing character names. What was an allegory…? Literary Elements, ok those seemed familiar he remembered taking a class that involved words like that before..

Was this stuff from the previous chapter?

He looked up at the teacher who was discussing a question the student had while another classmate read outloud from the next page, everyone flipping synchronized.

There was a ruffle of paper on his desk, and he looked up to see Ghoulia's hand retreating to her own book silently. Her worksheet on his desk.

He blinked then quickly wrote everything down trying not to use word for word, copying off her. Then slowly slid the page back without notice.

Surprised she did that, he kept looking at her, but she never turned around, looking at her phone subtly.

_**You two seem to be having an off day.**_

_****_The iCoffin bleeped quietly for only his ears, headphones always plugged in.

Holt didn't thank her, but he didn't question it either. Going back to drumming his fingers on the desk, his last download's tune still stuck in his head.


	9. Fine

Today was a checklist.

As Holt ignored Jackson's earlier warning to let him have passing period, he hustled down the hall to imaginary music.

Checking off classes. Counting down minutes.

He waved at Frankie who was splintering off from her friend group.

Clearing his throat and mumbling a few Jackson-like phrases to himself to get in character, before skipping off to her.

"Where you headin'~?" he asked sweetly joining her stride.

Frankie gave him a weird smile "Home Ick?" she angled her head confused.

Holt didn't get the question her voice, until he remembered Jackson's next class.  
>"<strong>Right<strong>. We have that together!" he nearly shouted. "Haha I'm dumb, sorry."

"Considering we're partners you should be" she rolled her eyes leading the way at this point, as Holt ambled along unsure corridors.

"Partners." He blinked.

"For class?" Frankie nodded, knitting her brow "Are you sleep deprived or something, Jackson?" she asked looking concerned but not sure how Holt and him 'slept' "Did Holt stay up really late or something?"

Awww, why did everyone always blame _**him**_?! "Nawww it doesn't work that way." he scratched his head smiling from being around Frankie. All attention on her, as she tugged him out of the way of tripping on a squished slippery jelly eye on the ground. Or maybe an actual eyeball. His cheeks felt hot.

Holt could not resist "So did you wake up looking this cute or did you stitch on an angel's face this morning~?" he grinned.

Frankie almost choked suddenly giggling, putting her hand over her mouth as her bolts spritzed some electricity, looking at him with smiling eyes.

Then shoved him playfully.  
>"Oh youuu~" she laughed "Did Holt teach you that one?" she asked stifling herself, trying to regain her composure.<p>

Holt chuckled back nervously "You could say that~"

"Well it's sweet, thanks. I was actually thinking my hair was a rat's nest today. And my hand just fell off last period when I was writing something on the board, in front of the whole class!" she smacked her forehead. Then led them into their classroom taking a seat at a counter while setting her books down. Then pulling out a needle and thread.

"Actually if you don't mind, could you tighten, Righty? I have a hard time left handed." she smiled sweetly and sort of desperately "B-but if that's too gross…" she started insecurely, then shut up, as Holt took the needle and thread, slipping the thick cord through the eye.

Then taking Frankie's clammy hand in his and poking through her wrist, and circling around, both weirdly silent as the rest of their classmate's chattered amongst themselves.

"T-thanks." she mumbled putting her head down, not meaning it to get so intimate.

"I'm sure you'd help me if my headphones were broken or… " wait that didn't make any sense if he was Jackson, unless he wanted to be his usual self, but Jackson wouldn't care about headphones? Or… ugh this was confusing. "...if I needed... Today's Clawculus notes?" he actually perked up remembering she was in that class.

"Oh yeah!" she squeaked "I'm sorry for distracting you! That was all my fault. If Mr. Rotter gives you detention just tell him it was me the whole time!" Keeping her wrist on the table as Holt continued to sew, she flipped through the books she left on the counter, sliding him a folder.

Holt tied it off and snipped it with scissors she quickly handed him. Then snapped a couple photos of her notes so Jackson wasn't distracted by math when he was trying to cure them.

Drumming the scissors to his mental music he smiled at Frankie. He really wanted to listen to his iCoffin right now. But people kept calling him out on not being very Jackson like; he didn't think _Jackson_ listened to his music in class. Plus Frankie was watching.

"How's your day been?" he asked Frankie as the class was slowly getting set up.

Frankie shrugged "I'm always falling apart, it's just how my day goes." she smiled, like it didn't bother her.

"Doing anything this weekend?" he asked in a way that didn't suggest he was making plans, just was interested.

She shrugged "Other than Cleo's party not really. I was thinking about marathoning some spooky normie movies but- Oh. Sorry!" she hunched her head down.

"About what?"

"Oh I wasn't sure if that was offensive or not to humans…" Frankie sat up straight with political correctness.

Holt blinked. Unsure how he kept forgetting who he was today. "It's not. Sides." he spoke up nearly quoting Jackson's diary that he'd recently leafed through "If I wasn't a monster why would I go _here~_?"

He pushed himself against the counter though. Suddenly feeling kind of flushed. Not just because of Frankie, but it felt hot in there.

"So Holt could get an education?" she raised her eyebrows, smiling politely.

"Because normies don't shapeshift." he winked "I just look human."

"And have every quality of a normie until you're at a party." she pointed out "I know your dad is a monster but-"

"I don't have powers? Neither does Holt." saying his own name felt weird. He felt weird. Holt made a face as his stomach started cramping. "Heck, the most popular girl in school, Cleo. Name a power she has."

Frankie paused, uncertain because 'Jackson' seemed to be getting defensive "She's undead?"

"She could pass at a normie school." Holt scoffed back. "I can't. Not forever anyway" He learned that the hard way. But he didn't really like thinking about last Halloween. He tried to ignore his upset stomach. Probably the 3 donuts he ate last night. But it was putting him in a bad mood.

"I thought you were all about normie pride?" Frankie asked lowering her voice as Ms. Kindergrubber gave out instructions "You didn't even know about Holt until I showed up."

"Once a vampire is turned are they a normie anymore?" Holt was getting weirdly into this argument. Even if it was kind of Jackson's fight. Maybe he just felt bad because he was _human_ at the moment. And he didn't like it. Stomach aching another cramp.

"No…"

"So once I found out about Holt, it was like I was bitten. Or something" he told her eyes flickering. He grimaced clenching the table.

"Are you ok?" Frankie asked suddenly, noticing he was greenish, and not in the good way.

"**Fine**, Stein." he grunted. _**Wow**_ ok no, that wasn't true. "Um." Dangit he really wanted to flirt with her today. He had a class with her and everything. But now he just felt. Sick.

He looked at her "I think J-uh- Holt ate something weird. Uhhh, tell teach, I went to nurse ok?" he winced before running out of class.

Holt barely made it to the restroom, to empty last night and the morning's contents into a toilet.

Making a face and wiping his mouth with toilet paper.

This was why he made Jackson drink it instead of him.

That potion looked nasty. And now he felt nastier

Though 3 donuts, some sodas and waffles probably weren't the best stomach settler.

"I am **not **dealing with this." he grunted. Locking the bathroom door. Then popped his marker out of his pocket writing on the toilet seat.

_**i knew it d make us sick**_

_**u deal with it**_

He felt all gross and shakey as their stomach gurgled. Turning up the beats and pulling it up to his ears. Holt rested against the toilet paper cover as he easily checked out.


	10. Mystery Meat

The bell rang and Jackson decided he needed to leave the bathroom before it filled up with large male monsters.

He had flushed Holt's grossness, and tried to do his best of fixing Holt's constant attempt to deface public property. But that marker was permanent and he didn't have anything to remove it with. Jackson considered giving all his potential graffiti equipment away.

Jackson would have thought by now, _Holt,_ of all people wouldn't want to graffiti things.

Spending the entire class period listening to the calmer section of Holt's playlists, he removed his hand from his stomach. At this point feeling more hungry than nauseated, given enough time to calm down.

Holt was most likely correct in guessing it was a side effect from unhealthy food and the experiment.

And Jackson was still ticked off that Holt _always_ pulled crap like this.

Slowly grabbing the handicap railing, and standing up.

The last time they were sick Holt kept making Jackson deal with it, continually throwing his music sources across the room and arguing with him about who had to endure it.

Claiming fire elementals were dangerous when feverish, but if Heath could spend the night in their house during slumber parties, Jackson was sure Holt could pull his weight of the times it sucked to be awake.

Heck this school day was making Jackson more aware of that, frowning as he checked Holt's image in the mirror and habitually washing his hands because he was leaving a stall. Holt attempting to go through his school day reminded Jackson that his alter ego's day was incredibly easy compared to his. He literally only took electives, and sometimes lunch.

Oh.

Lunch.

His stomach was void and gross. Creepeteria food did _not _sound good right now.

Guys started coming in the restroom so Jackson left before the werewolves started marking the urinals.

Sneaking off to find a vending machine to maybe keep him going. There weren't that many normie options at lunch, but whatever was there he was hoping he could supplement with peanut butter crackers and chips.

After his snack pitstop he arrived at the mostly full Creepeteria, stopping, earlier thoughts still in his head.

If Holt was going to make him deal with being sick.

He was going to make him eat.

He quickly wrote on his hand, not much else to send a clear message on.

**I dealt with stomach cramps, you deal with mystery meat. You're such a jerk. :C**

Stuffing the snacks in his bag, Jackson crossed his arms, and exited out of the music app.

* * *

><p>Though faltering at first, Holt greeted the Creepeteria with the fierce attitude of someone who'd been challenged.<p>

He knew Jackson was trying to ruin his lunch but Holt wouldn't let him. _Even_ if he had to do it as the least popular kid in school on an empty queasy stomach.

Jackson had taken most of the hit for the bathroom thing, and at this point Holt just needed to sit down, eat, and be awesome.

Wanting to hit up the ghoul's table and flirt, maybe serenade Frankie or start up an impromptu lunch dance party. Jackson's life was **so boring** he could barely stand it, no wonder the kid needed someone like him to spice up his life. Otherwise Jackson would just undie of **lameness.**

Skipping over most of the options in the lunch line, Holt made faces at most of them, squinting at others. He finally settled on some sort of monster fruit, what he hoped were fries and what may have been a salad at one point.

"Jackson, over here!" he heard a familar tone call out. Glancing over at he and Jackson's cousin waving excitedly from the boy's table.

Deuce was cringing at Heath practically standing on top of the table to get his attention. Clawd was too busy tearing into his steak to notice. Gil looked more amused than embarrassed. Briefly wondering why the jocks didn't sit with their girlfriends, Holt walked apprehensively over. Plopping down in the open seat next to Heath. He coughed pulling the snacks out of his bag to add to his tray. _Jackson voice, Jackson voice, giant nerd, kinda sounds like a girl_… he silently reminded himself, making a weak smile trying to play his part. But really just wanting to jog over and give Heath a noogie.  
>"Heyyy guys."<p>

They half waved.

"Jackson, Jackson, Jackson!" Heath started "I'm having a slumber party and-"

"Sleepover, dude." Deuce corrected his terminology. Slumber party sounding too girlish for his tastes apparently.

"Boys night." Clawd chipped in.

"I need to double check with my parents…" Gil mumbled nibbling on seaweed and sinking into the cuff he kept his helmet on. Acrylic bell jar sitting in the remaining space on the lunch bench

"Yoou're invited!" Heath told him excitedly head bursting into flames, before simmering down "Isn't that great?! I told you I'd invite you to the next time we had a game night. I know you like board gamessss." He spoke fast and excited.

_Ohhh_ _**man**_ that sounded awesome! He could break out the video games he'd been neglecting. Maybe try out whatever board games they wanted, that bit sounded a **teeny **bit _laaame. _But he was adaptable. He could have a boys only party then invite all the ghouls over as a surprise, he considered, though bro-ing it up sounded kind of nice. Especially at Heath's it was always super comfortable over there, and he and Jackson's Aunt's dinners were always loaded with chili powder…

Oh but.

He glanced at his peachy hands with gross yellow sleeves, speaking of _lame._

"_**Pleeeease,**_ let it be next week?" Holt asked smiling hopefully, then biting his lip.

"Friday." Heath explained digging into his own lunch now that the announcement was out of the way.

"Couldn't you have just said tomorrow?" Gil pitched in quietly.

Today was Thursday maybe Holt'd be back to normal by then, but with their luck so far it wasn't looking likely..

He thought hard, which was difficult but not impossible. Leg jittering again, he wished he had his music to mellow him out, it always had the right answer. He didn't want to stop this party train he had going. Stupid Jackson, he ruined everything with this dumb experiment. He shoulda tried it a different week when nothing was going on. Like finals week. Everyone was too tired to have sleepovers and parties then. _Then again, the thought of taking __**Jackson's**_ _finals while stuck in his body…_

Heath looked hurt. Seeing his cousin stare at his tray unresponsive. "Yo, dude. Did a zombie get you on the way in?" he waved a hand infront of Holt's face. "I thought you'd be excited."

"Oh uh." Holt slowly opened up the peanut butter crackers. What would Jackson do? "I don't know." He couldn't just agree. As much as he wanted to go Jackson needed time to fix stuff.

Clawd laughed "What else would you be doing?"

Holt wasn't sure. He considered saying he had a DJ gig, but no one dared throw a party the day before Cleo's so that was out unless it was the normie side of town hiring him. And **that** wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Homework?" that sounded Jackson-y. "You _knooow_ too busy being a giant dork…" he shrugged.

No one seemed to catch his self insult.

"Why don't you just do it Sunday?" Gil asked leaning in.

"I… might have other plans Sunday" Holt shrugged. Tapping his fork back and forwardth.

"So you'd rather do something else on Sunday then come to my killer sleepover on Friday?" Heath asked squinting "Come on it'll be fun!"

"Maybe he has a date." Deuce pointed out. "I saw you talking to Frankie in Home Ick."

Holt blushed at the mention of Frankie, something more apparent on chalk white skin. He could normally salvage a boasting lie about how he was totally going out with Frankie this Sunday or something, and that's why he couldn't go.

But as much as he didn't tend to have follow through, if he was going to fix stuff with _that_ fine ghoul he couldn't get stuck in a lie that would no doubt follow him to next period.

Though he did actually want to go. Very badly. He kept looking at his forced nerd fashion today remembering why he needed to give Jackson time to fix this. He didn't want to be stuck _this_ ugly forever.

"I-I uh."  
><strong>Oh ghoul, was he stuttering!?<br>**Holt decided to speak up before he was completely infected by dork body.

"I don't know." he answered sounding definitive.

"What do you mean by that?" Heath grilled.

"That's a great question." Holt answered back just as vaguely. Stuck. He wanted to say yes. But he wasn't allowed. At the same time admitting a "No" would mean Jackson was running his life. When it was his life too.

"Can you come yes or no?" Heath asked again whining impatiently.

"... Or." Holt shrugged.

"This isn't going anywhere" Clawd spoke up "Heath." he nodded at him knowingly.

Heath perked up, "Oh right." Then pressed something on his iCoffin. Holt's eyes followed the wire from Heath's phone into his backpack, suddenly recognising it as a portable speaker.

Holt sat upright, it taking him more reaction time than usual to see music as a bad thing. Or something he needed to resist.

"Heath!" he garbled out before trying to fend off the change, pins and needles poking into him until he submitted.

* * *

><p>Jackson looked around nervously. Everyone was staring at him. He had peanut butter in his mouth, swallowing.<p>

He didn't know how to do Holt's voice. Why was out _now_?

Everyone seemed kind of concerned that he wasn't on the table. Or yelling something.

"Dude, you might be right about that zombie thing." Deuce seemed legit concerned.

"Are you you sick?" Clawd asked.

Gil cautiously scooted away and grabbed his helmet as if he was about to be infected.

Heath put his warm hand to Jackson's forehead "You do feel kind of cold."

"What's the right temperature for a party monster?" Deuce asked sounding half serious about Jackson's 'race'.

Jackson did feel dizzy though. Hungry especially.

"Fire elemental!" Heath defended him "Well, at least half. Dude, do you want to go to the nurse?"

Jackson realised he still hadn't talked. He shook his head just holding onto the table.

"Maybe he can't talk." Clawd offered.

Gil rolled his eyes "Why would Jackson be able to talk but not _him_?" he asked like Clawd was a complete imbecile.

"I don't know how he works!" Clawd shrugged quickly.

"Guys back off." Deuce cooled down the table. Looking at Jackson. Well, his face was turned towards him, his sunglasses were still on.

They waited for Jackson to talk.

_DJ, radio announcer, loud, half singing_… he repeated mentally.

Ok… "Guuys I'm fine~!" he put his hands up. "Uh…Wait for me to swallow first next time! Peanut butter yo~" he did those dumb finger guns Holt always did.

Everyone seemed convinced.

"Oh ok." Heath brushed off his weird silence "Having a sleepover do you wanna come?" he asked excitedly.

_What?! _Of course they'd ask Holt instead of himself. Jackson felt peeved inside.

"Oh so you need someone to spice up the party~!?" he forced out.

"Well more like play Monsters and Mayhem and we needed a dungeon master so were asking Jackson, but he was being a wet blanket about it." Heath sighed. "But it can be more your style if you're coming" he offered.

"Can we still play MnM though…?" Gil piped up.

Oh. No, that sounded so fun! "Tomorrow?" he asked for confirmation. The information floating to his mouth somehow.

They all nodded looking at him expectantly. Clawd rolling his eyes expecting a response about how they were just being nerds.

Now wasn't the best time for a sleepover. But. Wasn't Holt's answer to a party always yes? What would it look like if Holt started turning down parties…?

If he said No, people were going to start thinking he was possessed or something. Which he kind of was.

"That sounds fangtastic!" Jackson beamed. The table cheered highfiving. Hoping he wasn't too out of character "Uh! After we're done partying! You could teach me how to play uh. That game."

"You want to learn how to play MnM?" Deuce asked, sounding sort of hushed like it was a big secret.

"If you guys like it, it has to be cool! Dudes!" Jackson squeaked out.

"Alright!" Clawd approved "Naw it's totally fun, you just make up your own character and choose a class…"

Jackson smiled as his friends excitedly rambled on about the game he knew better than they did. But it was nice seeing them all happy like this. Plus he had time to enjoy his lunch and not have to force out an awkwardly loud voice.

Still... the sleepover.

It wouldn't be too bad. They were getting better at being each other and any work he needed to do on their problem he could work on while everyone else was asleep. Since he could stay up all night. Or he could grab all the right ingredients next period in Mad Science and fix this by tonight.

He didn't talk much that lunch trying his best to be physically active in the conversation, like nodding and smiling brightly. Holt grinned a lot. Jackson didn't realise how much of a smiley person Holt was until he had to pretend to be him.

He was also slowly starting to get used to the music. At first it was always jarring, but it was starting to become white noise, depending how easy the task at hand to focus on was. And with public music like Heath's speakers Jackson was finding it easier to project his voice, because he was forced to. Which with a little thought Jackson realised was the whole reason why Holt sang-yelled everything.

* * *

><p>Lunch went smoother than expected. Giving him confidence he could survive a sleepover with these dudes.<p>

After the bell Heath and Jackson habitually walked to Mad Science together, rather Heath stood up and Jackson quickly followed after because it was easier than turning his music on.

Which Jackson did turn on for backup as soon as he could. The anxiety of Heath getting too far away making him sweat. Music trigger was demanding.

Jackson cleared his voice "Heeeey cous'!" he spoke up "You and Jackson are Mad Science partners right?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"Oh. Yeah" Heath smiled, always weirdly charmed and star struck around Holt. Who for whatever reason Heath looked up to.

Which gave Jackson an idea.

Jackson hunched in close to Heath "I need your help with something…"

* * *

><p>"I don't know about this…" Heath mumbled standing guard by the Mad Science door while Jackson hurriedly looked through the cabinets for the chemicals he needed.<p>

"Just keep a look out." Jackson huffed annoyed as Heath was breaking his concentration in reading the right chemical names. "Don't tell anyone and don't catch fire."

Smoke drifted over to Jackson's nose as he saw Heath's head smoking nervously.

"What did I-"

"Dude! It's not fire just hurry up."

Jackson opened up his bag, stuffing small bottled chemicals that had duplicates in the cabinent, looking at the ones that were in larger bottles, knowing he couldn't just get away with those. Quickly scrambling for some vials to dump them into.

"Out of time!" Heath squeaked hurrying into his chair. While Jackson made a whining noise and shoved everything where it belonged save for a few stolen goods in his backpack. Still missing some crucial catalysts. Also going to his adjacent seat and pulling out his Mad Science folder so it looked like they were just there early and happened to find the door unlocked. Which was exactly what happened; rather the door wasn't closed all the way.

A few ghouls walked in followed by the teacher. No one acting like their presence there was weird.

Heath waited for the class to fill up more and the cover of other monsters chattering to ask what was up "You aren't uh. Grabbing those for anything _bad _right?" he whispered sort of meekly.

Jackson looked at him and forced a light smile "Naw." though his body language seemed off, Heath was suspicious but for the wrong reasons "Sounds weird but Jackson needs it for something."

"Really? Jackson?" Heath asked. "I didn't think he would st…." he let steal drift off his tongue, possibly afraid of implying Holt was the 'evil' one. Knowing he could be sensitive to that.

"It's not the kind of stuff you can find in a Monster Mart ok?" Jackson hurriedly explained before shutting his trap as Mr. Hack came over. Took one look at Holt and Heath sitting together and sighed sliding his hand across his face.

Jackson squeezed his iCoffin deeper into his pocket remembering his strict rule about no phones.

"Mr. Burns." he started "Tell your cousin, just because he has a condition, doesn't mean he can drag said condition to class to sit with you." he paused before warning "I know how you two get together." Then snapped at Jackson. "When the bell rings Mr. Hyde."

Well so much for trying to get away with that.

"Sorry." Heath made a sympathetic face at "Holt" being referred to as a condition of Jackson's.

Which he kind of _was_ but that was beside the point. Jackson guessed Holt would take more offense to that.

Jackson looked nervously at the clock "What do you think would happen if I refused?"

Heath pointed at Mr. Hack sharpening a butcher knife for the lesson.

"Point taken." Jackson mused. Tapping his finger trying to think of loopholes but couldn't conjure any up.

"I know I don't wanna sit through class with Jackson eitherrr" Heath whined laying against the backpack he'd piled onto his desk.

_What was that supposed to mean?!_

"O-oh?" Jackson pressed.

"Yeah he's always talking about really nerdy crap or whining about Frankie or how nothing's fair it's preeeetty annoying right." he nudged Holt expecting him to join in, since they often bonded over Jackson's negative attitude.

Jackson scratched the table "He's not that bad…" he defended himself.

"Holt, he took a week to himself in the summer to spend on a stupid farm. You don't remember that?" Heath offered, one of his many complaints.

"Well he… needed that time… for himself. To.. recuperate…" Jackson scratched his neck while Heath looked at him like he was insane.

"Dude, you've been acting weird since lunch." Heath narrowed his eyes.

Ringing filled the classroom, saved by the bell. "Well gotta go!" he quickly snapped before taking off his headphones.

* * *

><p>"Woah, Heath!" Holt snapped suddenly looking around.<p>

Heath gave a small wave of concern, before the lecture started. Holt was just excited they were in this class together.

He looked around the room noticing there was a bunsen burner on their desks, Holt biting his lip and clenching the table as he tried not to mess with it.

Suddenly the lights turned off and a projector was pulled out. Oh man this was **suuper lame. **

As Holt squinted at the presentation resting his head on his hand. Checking his iCoffin's battery before deciding not to listen to subtle music. He'd gotten good at reading how much charge could last classes, and the next two classes were Holt's subjects. Jackson would need to be there for them.

It was also usually cold in the dungeonesque classroom, post lunch.

Holt blinked more times than he intended. This. Room. Was really. Dark.

* * *

><p>"Jackson."<p>

Hn.

"Jackson."

"Mm."

"Jackson!" a hand on his shoulder.

"...Holt?"

Holt slapped his hand to the table loudly, bolting upright realizing he'd passed out. "-! Am. I in trouble?" he asked hurriedly.

It was just Heath talking. Where were they. The lights came back on and Holt cringed closing his eyes again. Then taking off Jackson's glasses. Rubbing his face._**Oh good**_, he wasn't getting called to the office or anything.

"Did you fall asleep too? I don't know what lab this is." Heath explained looking at the other students. He looked anxious like Jackson was the one who normally led and paid attention for that matter.

Holt slid the paper out from under Heath's negligent hand, the front page singed and brownish from his cousin's emotional fluctuations. He couldn't necessarily make out some of the text.

"Don't we just do what it says or whatever?" he flipped to the next page skimming it and getting to the ingredients part.

Grabbing the box of lab supplies on their desk and starting to mix things already.

Heath looked hopeful, Holt actually looked like he knew what he was doing.

But that was far from the truth. As Holt poured out uneven ingredients into their erlenmeyer flask it began fizzing.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Heath asked looking around at the other students who had barely begun. Lagoona was still measuring the first chemical. Ghoulia looked over warily having been seated closer to them and scooted closer to Cleo, her partner, who appeared to be checking her make up in her iCoffin's reflection.

"Yeah of course, we're just ahead~!" Holt laughed reassuringly. Glancing at the paper. Surprised that one of Jackson's dumb classes could actually be kind of fun.

Then slid their bunsen burner over excitedly to heat it up, putting the flask on a tray to rest above it. As he ticked up the gas Heath offered "I could just do that for-"

He stopped as Holt gave him a stern look, hands still fumbling with the equipment.

"Right. You like fire."

"I love fire~~" Holt reminded him suddenly conscious of his peach hands. How immune was Jackson to fire? He'd never checked. Well if he could burst into flames during their transformations Holt figured he must be ok. He couldn't' remember any burn injuries transferring over after all…

"So what's this lab on?" Heath asked as they watched their bottle heat up.

"Uhhh." Holt looked at the paper, they were probably supposed to be notating something. The title had been obscured by a brownish black mark.

But they were interrupted by their flask whistling. Weird smelling steam hissing out of it rapidly.

Before a shattering bang broke up the class.

Everyone instinctively ducking as flaming liquid shot every where and glass scattered across the floor, some shards impaled in a few things, and a few students. Which could have been more disastrous if more of their class weren't already undead.

Heath's head and hands were on fire in surprise only catching the desk behind them on fire as he stumbled back. Classmates quickly trying to put it out with their binders. On guard as this was nearly a daily occurrence for those who sat behind him.

Holt had fallen to the floor in surprise, or force? Either way he was on the floor dazed with a bright flame on his chest. Sitting up quickly patting out Jackson's burning sweater vest.

It was like melting it! **Was this acid on fire?!**

Science _could_ be fun.

Killer!

He grinned at Heath excitedly, who looked at him like he was insane.

"Holt! Heath!" Mr Hackington exclaimed.  
>Holt slowly stood up, while their teacher looked surprised correcting himself, as "Jackson" rose from behind the desks.<p>

"Oh. Er- Mr. Jekyll, either way." he looked like he wasn't sure what to do then zeroed in on Heath "What did I tell you about overheating classroom equipment!"

"But it wasn't me this time!" Heath pleaded like the boy who cried wolf.

Mr. Hack put his hand to his face "Bloodgood's office, we'll sort this out later. Your lab partner will clean up!"

Heath sulked off giving Holt a look of contempt. Holt slowly padded out a desk fire with his hand giving Mr. Hack a sheepish grin, while his teacher only looked at him suspiciously before going to help another student.

Man he wished he recorded that, guess he didn't have to turn in this assignment either, **double win~!**

Sweeping up the glass that had gotten to the front of the classroom he felt like he was getting gawked at, turning to see the dead eyes of Ghoulia looking at him… or past him… maybe at the board?

She looked back to her lab so it didn't matter. Holt's mind flickered to slight anxiety before he hummed to himself a song he was working on, quickly brushing aside any worry.

Taking as much time sweeping as he could, so he didn't have to do any extra work in this class today. Trying to draw out the cleaning process to the bell.


	11. Parentheses

Holt carefully placed their newly acquired chemicals into their locker not wanting to crack the glass in travelling. Handling each bottle like an egg. It was his ticket home after all.

Sweet _**sweet**_ home. Tugging at Jackson's sleeve annoyed and feeling constricted.

Before checking the time. This was Jackson's usual "naptime". But screw that, Holt was taking advantage of all the time he could get with this situation, and Jackson's day was longer than his after all. He was **hardcore** missing his tunes though... Noticing he kept arriving to classes late he assumed _Jackson_ was hogging passing period until teachers kicked him out.

Well two could play at that game! Holt smirked heading off to his usual Physical Deaducation class wondering if there was a way to salvage his dorky alter ego's reputation during Swim, revealing Jackson's blinding white skin after dress out probably wasn't the best way to go about that. And he guessed he could get away with this form in there; it was a lax class after all..

After all, if they both had a little more street cred around here maybe he could save them both a few bruises.

Taking the time to slide his headphones on, maybe he could make out some lower volume songs for the time being. His own habits catching up with him as he just opened the music app. It never would have crossed his mind to lower the volume first.

Holt jerked nearly dropping their iCoffin, hurriedly fumbling for the volume button but it was too late as-

* * *

><p>Jackson woke up shaking against the lockers, brain on the subject Holt's next class.<p>

Blinking feeling the rush of an unintentional transformation. The change felt different when one or the other let go, versus the pain and tenseness of resistance.

On the rare occurrence they did just… let it happen. Trapped inside one's own mind wasn't something either of them tended to want. Especially if they didn't know the next time they'd wake up.

They generally had a good system but all it took was forgetting about a test, or a party, to cause spite or selfishness. Losing track of time working on mixing tracks or studying, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.

Checking the time Jackson wasn't sure why Holt was resisting at all. This was supposed to be Holt's and therefore now Jackson's class after all. He rolled his eyes, heading towards the pool as he recalled it was a swim class.

* * *

><p>The bell rang as he pulled the heavy doors to their pool room, it's chill damp feeling uncomfortable against his fire elemental body. Something he was getting used to, everything felt cold today.<p>

The class was sparse, Frankie appeared to be permanently banned from the water as she wasn't dressed out. The rest of the class were in their own swimsuits, no uniforms, some in the pool splashing around or practicing swimming. Rochelle seemed to be apprehensively in the shallow end, long pink hair floating in the water she couldn't fully utilize.

Actually the only decent swimmer in here appeared to be Lagoona who was currently sitting mostly in the pool while reading a book on the side.

She waved over to him entering. "Get over here before I mark you tardy!" she called out as Jackson apprehensively walked over. She gave him a sign in sheet which he marked H.H. Like all weeks prior on the charted list. Though his H's were slightly more wobbly and at a different style, it wasn't really noticeable.

Jackson looked around for supervision.

Looking at the sign in clip board Lagoona had passed him he noticed the official title of the class.

**Remedial Swimming**

He realised this was a blow off class. Holt had _literally_ 2 classes both electives and one was a blow off class.

At least it filled in a Phys Dead credit and was probably a GPA boost, but still …

"You ok?" Lagoona asked slipping the paper back nonchalantly, noticing Jackson was making a weird face and not acting like… anything.

Holt was a loud guy after all usually barged in with a stereo on his shoulders or something, the quietest he usually was was loud conversations with some of the quieter students in class.

Jackson forced a grin again "Hey…" he wracked the other side of his brain for help on a nickname:

"Lagoona.."

Ok maybe he couldn't come up with anything.

"I'm doin' better than fine~"

Speaking of fine.

He glanced across the pool to Frankie sitting out of the water not even dressed out. She made sudden concerned eye contact with him. And started walking over.

Jackson ignored Lagoona for the moment, as she left her stuff on the edge of the pool and sank into the water sensing she'd lost his attention.

Jackson smiled nervously at Frankie approaching him, standing up straight, feeling hot as he always did around her.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked suddenly.

Jackson blinked, trying to think of why she'd say that. "Oh! My chin is fine I'm used to falling." he managed out hoping she wasn't like, accusing him of being sick like everyone was today.

"No I mean…" Frankie's bold eyebrows scrunched up thinking for a minute "Did you go to the nurse?"

Jackson must have hesitated too long because she continued

"Or … can I ask Jackson?" she cocked her head.

"What for?"

"You left Home Ick early today." she explained.

Home Ick. Oh! Waking up sick in the bathroom. He forgot he had basically… skipped class for that.

He rolled with the surprise he must have had on his face for figuring it out "Oh uh? What for, H..-Jackson, never tells me these things~"

"I don't know he just ran out." Frankie explained still looking at him like a nurse. Or like his mom whenever Jackson stayed up too long to study. Getting closer. Jackson felt hotter wanting to sink into his obnoxious jacket or accidentally slip into the pool and never come out.

"Did you go to the nurse?" she asked him in that funny way that addressed them as the same.

Jackson shrugged tongue tied suddenly around her.

She put her soft small hand on his head and Jackson felt like he was going to burst into flames.

"Are you always this hot?"

"What?!" Jackson took a step back, Frankie grabbing him forward as he almost stepped into the pool.

"You're burning up. I don't know if it's a … you … thing or…" Jackson knew she meant fire elemental but was probably unsure as to what exactly Holt was.

Since he seemed to inherit all the monster.

Why couldn't Jackson have been the elemental and Holt just a hyde like his mom…

"I'm just .." hot because of you? That sounded right. The words were coming to him. Things Holt would say.

On fire for you.

Feverish tonight, help me doctor~!

The hottest guy around.

"Um."

Frankie looked even more concerned. Dangit, everyone was noticing today, he just couldn't act like Holt. Not genuinely. Not around Frankie.

"Hey, Lagoona." Frankie waved at her friend who had been talking to Rochelle about something. "Can I take Holt to the nurse?"

"What- No. Frankie I'm fine." Jackson rolled his eyes but didn't' put away Frankie's hand that was now on his wrist.

"Yeah he is a bit slow today, eh love? Just grab a hall pass." she pointed at the supplies that she was apparently qualified to handle. This seemed to be some sort of student run class, Lagoona probably deemed responsible enough, and their whole school was on the unconventional side after all.

Frankie filled one out as Jackson looked at the exits, if he got a headstart maybe he could hide in the library or something. However Frankie was quick as lightning, pushing him towards the halls from behind.

"Maybe she'll know if Jackson was in their earlier ok?" she offered sounding genuinely invested and sincere. He probably couldn't convince her to just skip with him or something. Not that he was the skipping type, but he'd rather spend this period catching up on homework or something.

"I don't think I was?" Jackson recounted the truth at least "I think he… we… I… went to the bathroom instead. I think we just lost track of what we were eating?" he explained as Frankie shoved him down the hallway.

"What? So you just skipped instead of going to the nurse?" Frankie frowned and looked sad like he was in trouble "Holt you should have gone there as soon as you knew you were sick!"

"Well not sick just.. unsettled stomach you know…" he scratched his neck starting to walk on his own "So there's no reason for me to go now…"

"Well. Just to be safe." Frankie practically scolded him looking at him oddly. Looking him over. Like he'd gotten a subtle new haircut she just hadn't noticed. But he looked the same.

"Frankieee. It's a waste of time I'd rather go back to swim class and-" he was gonna suggest doing homework, man he was bad at this "have a good time." he managed out stiffly.

"Well you sound funny, are burning up whenever I touch you and left Home Ick suddenly and didn't come back, what am I supposed to do?" Frankie reasoned as they arrived at the nurse's office.

She stopped and looked at him, making eye contact. Jackson felt his face heat up again. He would be red if that showed up on his skin. Did Holt blush? Was he purple? He mostly just seemed to literally fluctuate in temperature until something got singed, which while was cool as heck, was neither actual fire or really ever useful.

He let out a small exhale.

Why did her dual colored eyes have to be so pretty?

Frankie scoffed rolling her eyes as he seemed to do nothing but stare at her blankly. Pushing him into the nurse's office.

The first thing Jackson noticed was the smell. Like a dentist's office but more… moist. He made a face looking around feeling sicker already. The room was made of stone bricks and looked positively medieval. Hopefully it was only an ancient aesthetic and not practices. Frankie forced him to sit on a bed while the nurse pushed her wheelie chair back from a corner of the room. Jackson had never actually been to the nurse's office before, thusly this was his first time seeing her. Translucent lime green, wet and slimy looking, tentacle jelly monster of some sort. She was a heavy set woman wearing a white uniform, with tentacled dreads that would sometimes twitch suggesting they were prehensile. Nearly see through but not really, he was more concerned about how sticky she appeared to be.

She pushed pointed spectacles up her face, her "nose" not very prominent Jackson guessed this was a constant task for her.

"Name?" she asked pulling out a sign in sheet clip board noting the date and scribbling on it.

Frankie nudged Jackson, making him go through with all this. He sighed "Holt Hyde."

She looked at him as if trying to decipher what she would need to check. With a variety of monsters at this school she would have her tentacles busy figuring out what was what, outside of common vampires, werewolves and zombies. Jackson felt her eyeballing his hair before she slowly pushed herself over to a filing cabinet starting to flip through the numerous files of students.

"Ehhh I'm not finding a Hyde." she snorted out, her voice ratchety without much patience in it.

"Oh uh." he didn't think he needed to be here but if he was might as well make sure his vitals were fine on top of everything. If they were having issues of the brain might as well check if they were physically in check by a professional. "Try Jekyll, Jackson…"

She found that file much quicker. Jackson noting with curious interest that the tab of his file only had Holt's name in parentheses. "Oh, Jekyll and Hyde. Cute." she rolled her eyes flipping through his unusually thick file. Looking at the paper then at him, then at the paper again, then back to him.

"You're the Hyde right?"

Jackson nodded nervously like it was a trick question. A spare tentacle stretched to grab a thermometer prepping it with the disposable cap as she read his file.

She touched that with her slime. Jackson silently pleaded with the powers that be that the thermometer was as clean as possible.

"Don't talk" she commanded sticking it in his mouth scooting closer still reading his file. "Yeesh you know you have a really low resting body temp for your race. Kids these days mixing this and that. Back in my day it was just werewolf schools, and vampire schools. Much easier. And zombies never even came to the infirmary much less had their own schools…" she went on about the past and monster segregation while Jackson rolled his eyes and listened as her captive audience. She seemed slightly racist but probably just in the way that it made her job more complicated. Shapeshifting dual personality partial fire elemental teenage boy was kind of a complicated unique case.

Monster High had always been open to all monsters to his knowledge though, there were so many unique one of a kind children, like Frankie.

Jackson gauged he was just pushing the boundaries of special type monster.

She pulled out his thermometer checking the temp.

Jackson exhaling as she finally scooted away from him. Wondering if there were any students who felt uneasy and sicker just from being around the nurse.

"You're fine." she glanced back at his file, highlighting something for clarity. "I think."

Then narrowed her already small eyes looking at him and Frankie, who still looked suspiciously concerned. "What problems were you having?"

"I think I just ate something weird, she made me come" he pointed at Frankie trying to absolve himself of the responsibility of coming in here "I told you I was fine, Frankie."

Frankie was tugging at a stitch, knowing something was wrong but couldn't put her finger on it, Holt just seemed so unlifeless today. "It doesn't say anything in there about uh… normal behavior?"

Jackson perked up. Oh snap she was onto him. He had to kick this into full throttle, it was just difficult being so… unlike himself.

He stood up suddenly putting his hand on Frankie's shoulder "Heyyy I'm fiiine Steeein, let's just go back to class and … talk about … cool things!"

Oh ghoul, why was he even more awkward as Holt?!

Frankie made an odd face as if she wasn't sure if he was being serious or not.

"Look. You two can't come in here just as an excuse to cut class. You." she pointed at Jackson "You're clearly ok. Out" she made shooing motions while she put his file away. A school nurse's job was to distribute ice and catch students playing hooky after all.

"Ma'am with all due respect I know there's something wrong." Frankie pleaded pulling out her phone to find Jackson's latest Ghostly Gossip headline. Showing it to her "I think he could even have a concussion."

The nurse looked at the picture then slowly back at Frankie.

Frankie piped up realising the problem "O-oh they're the same person! Tt's hard to explain. I know that file you were looking at was talking about it…" Frankie was starting to explain about to drag their patient into the convo when she realised he wasn't standing there. The door slowly shutting. "Holt?" she called out but it was too late.

Frankie smiled apologetically at the nurse "Sorry for wasting your time!" she squeaked rushing out the door looking around all the hallways from her point but he was no where to be seen.

She pulled out her contact list while walking and glancing around for her escape artist.

Jackson's nervous face showed up on their info page, taken back when she first became friends with him, listed as JJHH.

She really needed to find a way to change his profile to something for the two of them.

Opening a new text message.

_Hey we need to talk_

She stopped typing, pausing, then erased the message.

Frankie took a final look around.

Sighing she rolled her eyes and stalked back to class.

Heels clicking in the empty hallways.


	12. Fire and Ice

Jackson wanted to turn off this music. It was making him anxious. He jogged to the library even though there didn't seem to be anyone checking for hall passes. Jackson silently slipped into the library. Well, silently was the wrong word, his headphones were always giving him a small buffer of staticy beats to anyone within 10 feet of him really. He quickly put on the headphones properly and lowered the volume now that it was on his ears.

The volume gauge beeped over the music as he tried his best to put it at a manageable level. Wincing with a minor whimper as he was hitting the transformation barrier again. Quick chills running over his back.

Pumping the volume back up twice more. Comfortable, but messing up his brain. He couldn't think straight and it was getting frustrating. The reality of his situation hitting him again.

He found a table behind some shelves where he sat down for a moment, anxiety welling in his throat. Frankie had noticed. Who else had noticed? _What _had they noticed?! No one could be coming to the conclusions of the truth… Frankie just thought he was hurt in the head after all.

His hands were singing the wood of the table he was gripping so he put them in his lap. Holt's "powers" were cool, but now wasn't the time for that. As much as he'd always wanted to do anything close to Dad…

Jackson took a moment to cool off, looking at his blue hands.

Besides it not being his life, everyone thinking he was acting oddly. And perpetual fear of Bloodgood expelling him for stealing chemicals.

This _was _what he had kind of always wanted.

He'd always been exposed to monsters. Dad used to show him his hair and hands lighting up, or melt marshmallows for him when he was younger. And Jackson had always hoped that maybe he'd get _something _come puberty. That it just hadn't shown up _yet. _Even though younger Heath had been setting the curtains on fire since the first time Jackson visited the monster side of the family. Well, back when he thought only one side of the family were monsters…

Exhaling he tried to focus on heating up, or catching fire or… at least his hands heating as he pushed a thumb against the table, then curiously lifted. Blank. Maybe it was just strong emotions after all. Holt sucked at being a monster.

Maybe if Bloodgood expelled him they'd have to move again and no one would know him. Then he could just be the cool monster side and Holt would be stuck being the loser.

Then perked back up remembering Monster High was one of a kind.

If he was expelled it'd be back to normie school.

He didn't want to go back to normie school as Holt.

Or in general, with his condition. Recalling the joy of stepping into New Salem's halls, before he remembered _why _he was sent to Monster High.

This was the safest place to be, he had to remember why they stayed out of trouble... As he skipped class for the second time today, dangit. Maybe if he went back Lagoona wouldn't mention it to anyone. She was nice though, he probably wouldn't get reported no matter what…

He looked at the time on his iCoffin while changing the playlist to something less anxious. Out of curiousity pressing a playlist titled **Personal**. Wasn't too bad at first, about to stand up before he heard what was definitely Holt's singing.

It wasn't that it was _bad_, but something distinctive about hearing his voice irked him and gave Jackson second hand embarrassment. Like hearing your parent singing karaoke or something. Changing it in a hurry as an Operetta accompaniment came in.

Trying to forget that, frosting over it with music he used to listen to in middle school, he started pacing through the library looking for Mad Science books on anything helpful to his situation. Or possibly helpful. Pulling a potion guide he hadn't seen before into a small pile of other chemistry books. Looking for reassurance that recreating the potion would fix this.

Walking fast to see if the human researched chemistry section could factor into anything. He turned a corner too fast and immediately hit someone tall and sturdy, getting knocked back to his butt. One side of his head phones slipping off his ear as he managed to hold onto his books.

A block of ice thudded in front of him. "Oh! You surprised Abbey!'

He heard the thick accented girl exclaim.

Jackson looked at the block of ice realising it was her own books, he couldn't make out the titles through the sheet she had accidentally covered them in. Something about yaks, said one of the larger bold titles, the others were obscured with smaller script.

She scooped up the ice block with a frown on her pink lips, small tusks poking through pressing against her upper lip worriedly. Then offered a claw to Jackson who took it out of courtesy, her helping him up.

He tried not to whip his hand away too fast, but she was freezing. "T-thanks." he mumbled out awkwardly.

"Not a problem. Did not know anyone else in here. Did not expect to see loud one in such quiet place."

Jackson grinned, at least he didn't have to be Holt's usual volume in here or get kicked out. "Yeaaah, don't tell anyone but I'm actually a giant nerd" he joked. Even though it was the truth.

Abbey cracked a smile "Abbey already know this. But usually you wear yellow. And glasses. And change color."

Her attempt at a joke was strangely adorable. "Hey I have classes too~" Jackson attempted at Holt's suaveness. Something about Abbey making him more at ease. She seemed less judgemental somehow. Maybe because it was just the two of them, and it felt more secretive like he could act out of character and it'd be something Holt'd honestly do.

Like Holt ever came into the library…

"Yaks do not wear thick coat all year." Abbey seemed to try and relate, starting to lead him over to a table where she placed her block of books down.

"I don't…" Jackson started confused.

Abbey reiterated "No one same way. All the time, yes?" she set her bag down on the table too.

"Oh." Jackson got it, feeling even more comfortable feeling like she understood in a way "Well that's especially true in my strange case."

"Yes but." she seemed to be thinking as she started looking in her bag for something. "Even two sides, have more sides."

Jackson was getting what she meant but she was just phrasing everything so oddly it felt like it was having a harder time than usual penetrating his brain. Especially over his music.

"Well I can't be _**loooud **_in here anyway~" practicing Holt's voice was hard and especially the most annoying part of this situation.

"True. But I mean why you being here? With these books." she motioned at Jackson's advanced literature.

"Hey you don't know who these are for."

"Could be for quiet one yes. But I know you dislike him."

"We have the same grade." Jackson shrugged trying to sound uncaring.

"Ah. Ok, that explains more." then sighed giving up looking in her bag. Then made a spiked hand motion over her head indicating Jackson's current hair style "You have the flame hair. Can you melt..?" she asked pointing at her ice block hopefully.

Jackson made a sympathetic face since he was the one that had caused her to freeze it. "Sorry I can't really control it."

"Understood. Heath cannot control it either. Will find hair gun."

Jackson sat down on the table staring at the block, wishing he could help.

"How are you and Heath, by the way?"

Abbey made a deep rolling sigh sitting at the chair at the table "It is complicated. We are very different. But it work out ok." she was making snowflakey swirls on the table with her finger.

"If you don't mind me asking. Fire elementals aren't usually, great at the cold." so he was learning today "Like can survive it better than most monsters but …"

"Yes I know I am uncomfortable to touch." Abbey seemed disheartened by this. "Heath say he does not mind, but I know he does." Then smiled possibly remembering him saying things like that to her. "He also only one I can freeze and not be worry too much. He is strong. Like spring grass. Always pop back."

Jackson curiously touched the frozen books it practically "burning" his finger in temperature, but his hand only seemed to heat up more in response melting it slightly but not nearly enough to help. Just make the table wetter.

"Sorry we don't have more ice monsters down here."

Abbey flicked her wrist nonchalantly "Eh. Do not need sorry. Before coming down from mountain. Never… never seen fire before. Yeti do not need fire. We are strong, like mountain and ice. Heath remind Abbey of sun after storm. Good, but bad if too much." then smiled eyes glazing in memory again "Heath try very hard not to be "too much". Yeti do not care. Yeti boy do not try so hard. Heath make me think, maybe… better than yeti boy? Maybe. Maybe not." she shrugged "Do not know. But. If Abbey down here for long time. Then Abbey will not see yeti boy anyway."

As sweet as that was "Yeah but Heath?"

"He makes me laugh. You cannot see. Family see different." she smiled, noting him trying to melt the books anyway. Even if he was making little leeway with just a higher body temperature that didn't cool down as easily as human. Mostly just getting the table wet.

Jackson noted his progress, excited as it was the first useful thing he'd been able to do with monster powers, and saw a plain sight metaphor. Fire elemental + ice =

"So why don't you feel like you're… incompatible?"

"Why don't you?" she countered.

Jackson blinked.

"You be saying, fire and ice too opposite to work." Abbey explained "Loud and quiet… same thing."

Jackson slid down off the table "Well. We don't." looking uncomfortable that that'd been brought up. "Work, that is."

Abbey pulled her partially melted ice block back towards her.

"You will need to." she paused possibly trying to make her words sound less deep and more practical pointing at his books as he picked them back up "Same grade in gradebooks."

The bell for the period to end rang then ending their conversation.

"Was pleasure talking." Abbey smiled hoisting her ice block up and heading towards the checkout desk to, probably to explain the book damage.

"Yeah."

Jackson looked at the puddle left on the table. Before exiting the library to Holt's next and final class.


	13. Duet

Music Theory was thankfully not a class Frankie was in.

The room had creaky wood floors, carpeted walls and a small stage in the front of the class that barely rose more than a foot above the rest of the space. The teacher he had met a couple times when Holt was renting a school instrument and Jackson had to drag it from his car to her class before school started.

She appeared to be a siren, the bird sort not the mermaid kind. Wings at least that looked small enough to be useless that she stretched while she looked over some papers on her desk. Either she had some sort of eternal youth working for her or she was a new teacher.

He cautiously sat in the front row next to Operetta since she had made eye contact with him as soon as he got in the classroom, and hadn't let up. Jackson guessed this was actually Holt's seat.

It felt like it, and sometimes he could tell that sort of thing.

Though Operetta wasn't talking to him. Actually the whole class sort of had an anxious muttering air to it.

No one excited or giggling.

Everyone looking through their folders and ohhhh… crap.

Jackson recognised this feeling.

When everyone else knew what was going on.

When everyone was hurriedly looking at their notes.

He looked to the chalkboard embarrassed he hadn't seen the large font circled. Test.

Then again he had to squint to see anything else on the agenda.

Abbey's reminder about them sharing a GPA came back to haunt him as he peeked at Operetta's notes and tried to find some in his bag that matched hers. Finding Holt's folder in his bag. Stuffed full of paper and horribly disorganised.

He was about to try and flip through that and attempt to glean any answer that could possibly helpful for this class he'd never been in before. When the bell rang and everyone started putting their notes away.

Silently he followed everyone's lead. As the scrolls were being passed out his teacher stopped at his. "iCoffin where I can see it Holt. You'd better not be listening to any answers."

Operetta scoffed pulling out a pencil "Like he'd need to…"

Jackson gave a weak smile trying to take advantage of the silence of an exam as he placed his iCoffin on the table, hoping he could think through the music.

Looking at the test though it didn't seem to matter.

His stomach dropped.

It was like a different language.

Starting with the one thing he could do he began to write a J at the top of the page. Before turning it into a badly written H.

Ok well he couldn't even do that.

He was over thinking how Holt wrote his name, in a panic caused by the exam, it wouldn't even matter. He glanced up to the teacher who was looking at other parts of the class.

Looking at the first question again. Identifying the vocab in the question he couldn't even identify. He wasn't even sure what this test was asking. Much less the letter symbols he had to match to it.

_What does this even mean_... he mouthed to himself. Feeling dizzy from being unprepared. This was why he overstudied for everything!

So he wouldn't get really bad test anxiety.

Skipping that question.

And the next one.

Icons of piano keys were brought up for the next four, a key highlighted on each one. Looking at the first one he wracked his brain for answers looking at his choice of A, B, C#, or G.

It was in there. If Holt knew it. Maybe…

The sound of a piano key played in his mind.

Looking at the paper. He.

Knew what it sounded like!

That was… actually incredibly unhelpful.

Great, so he knew what music was just not how to identify it on an exam.

Fang on a minute! This was a multiple choice test.

Chewing his cheek he looked at the teacher again subtly. Still not looking at him.

His eyes slid to Operetta's paper.

Quickly copying the first answers he could make out. Just transcribing at this point giving up entirely on knowing what this test was about.

He cared about scholastic integrity… but this wasn't his fault.

If he knew he had to study for this he would have. By the look of Holt's filled out folder… he technically had. But was just having a severe case of amnesia.

Medical condition amnesia.

Briefly wishing he could tell a teacher about their situation just so he could opt out of this torture.

Noting the giant hourglass ticking away at the front of class. The timed factor just making him sweat more.

Anxiously he dropped his pen when it started crinkling around his fingers. Looking at the partially damaged utensil, getting flashbacks of his personal desk littered in damaged pens and singed pencils always assuming his Dad had been borrowing his stuff.

Dad apologised and owned up to it after all..

Thinking about Dad was calming him down enough to regrip it without it melting.

About to finish up this page when he noticed the rustle of paper and Operetta flipping her paper to the other side.

He clenched his fist and realised he was going to need another pen for sure.

Sliding one out of his bag subtly he looked at the last few questions. Skipping them and flipping his test to just follow her lead when he glanced at the teacher looking at their area of the classroom.

Putting his head down he tried to look like he was looking just at his page.

And not look around the classroom too much.

Rereading the wordy multiple choice questions on the back of his test. His easily squishable new plastic pen was bending in his fingers again, but he tried not to pay attention to it, just attempting to read through the pounding beat in his brain.

There was a light popping sound before he had to drop his second crumpled pen to the desk, as it spilled ink all over, partially on his test too.

Trying not to curse or draw too much attention to himself; he slid the paper away from the splash. Though it was a bit damaged already.

Operetta made a vaguely disgusted face and scooted over so she wouldn't get any on her.

"Try this, hun" she mumbled under her breath, to the point Jackson could barely hear her over Holt's obnoxious playlist.

She slid a pencil over to him. Her pencil. Before standing. Going to turn in her test.

Jackson's stomach dropped as she turned in any possible way he could answer this thing.

Sweating nervously trying to swallow his test anxiety.

He knew Holt on his own didn't have an A in his two classes combined.

And Jackson didn't know how he did it.

He didn't know how he could just _not _care. Because that had to be the only explanation for his alter ego slacking. The only way… to Jackson's knowledge.. for Holt to _not_ get an A in Remedial Swimming was to either skip or possibly ignore menial dress-out rules.

Music Theory, based on this Exam the class was collectively sweating over, was probably actually difficult, but Jackson was fairly certain Holt actually knew what he was doing in here.

His notes were the _used _kind of disorganised, that looked like he actually cared but maybe just stuffed back in a bad order.

Not to mention Operetta's pre-test comment. At a glance it seemed like Holt knew his stuff but was lazy.

And Jackson didn't know how he could…

_stomach it!_

To just, not turn something in?

Or whatever was preventing them from getting the highest GPA in their class.

Ghoulia took gold again in that department.

They really were quite opposite in that sense, because Jackson could easily see Holt turning in a blank test nonchalantly.

For a moment his panic spiked from the thought.

Quickly running all his classes through his brain in attempts to recall if he forgot a test in the classes he was absent from today.

Except for potential pop quizzes he couldn't think of anything.

Save for this looming GPA bomb waiting to get turned in.

Mentally counting how many questions out of 20 he had answered and multiplying them by 5, he could only think about how he'd get a 50% maximum on this thing.

Breathing harder he tried to calm down but, he was becoming a steaming mess on the verge of tears.

Parting his fingers away from the paper edges he was burning.

He could feel Operetta side glance at him with pity and confusion.

He could barely read the open answer portions much less fill in the blanks, guessing at any remaining multiple choice.

Raising his pencil to guess a response, the bell rang.

The hourglass was empty and Jackson sat back as the teacher stood to collect the remaining exams. She picked his up and held it at a distance as its crisped edges curled up and ink dripped off a corner. She gave an odd but sympathetic and confused expression at him.

At least it was over…

He was about to switch the playlist to something more calm… or as calm as one could get on his particular trigger time signature. Ready to pump up the volume and rush home.

When Operetta stood and smiled politely. Clearly waiting for him, as the teacher stacked up her papers and finished everything off at the front of class. Their peers filing out en masse.

"You bring the file?" she asked knowingly.

Jackson blinked.

Operetta grinned impatiently at his response.

"The file." he repeated.

"For our project, hun." she took back a charcoal pencil from his hand.

Then explained slowly and condescendingly "That you promised me yesterday we'd have another go at."

She shifted her weight crossing her lilac arms as Jackson picked up his things.

"I mean I know you have memory and reliability issues…But I thought we cleared that up that was just you moonlighting as a normie. Er… sunlighting… " While Operetta considered the right word for his double life, Jackson scratched his piercing and reached into his pocket.

Hand finding a flash drive.

"Of _**course **_I have it. Gooosh." he smiled trying to channel confidence again. Though hopefully Operetta would attribute that to post exam jitters… if Holt even got that.

"Great, get your pipes ready to record then, sweetpea~" Operetta started walking in an unfamilar direction, as the class slowly cleared out around them.

_Record?_

Jackson swallowed.

"Well… Maybe not today…"

"You said that yesterday." Operetta scoffed. "We need to do this now or you never will."

Jackson considered just leaving while Operetta faced away from him. Until she grabbed his hand and began to drag him towards a different door than the one he entered from. It opened to a closed off hallway with what Jackson recognised as practice rooms. Glass covered closets that contained the occasional student practicing an instrument. Based on what Operetta possibly expected of him he hoped wherever they recorded was more private… with a lock.

The he could kick her out of…

"Sooo I'm just going to say it. What was that in class today?"

Jackson's stomach hit the floor again. But he forced a smile. "Haha I don't know what you mean~"

"Hun, I haven't seen you melt a pen since Jackson skipped that gig last month."

Further stomach pain.

"Ow" she let go of his burning hand "See what's up with you?" She made a show of blowing on her inky hand that had been touching him "Fire elemental puberty?" she dropped sarcastically.

"My mind is just." he started "Elsewhere." well it was the truth.

"Well get in the game, I wanna have the best project in class and show Catty she ain't the only decent vocalist in this school."

Then stopped in front of a room he thought was a closet.

"Oh." he blinked. As she did opened the door.

"Gross, you got my hand all blue..." she mumbled looking at her hands.

She turned on a light revealing a foam covered room with a computer on a small desk. No lock though… Certainly private.

It looked familiar though, he may have woken up in here in the past but not for long at least. One of those ghost memories that happened when he was aware long enough to know he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and someone knocked him out again if he didn't just give Holt the reins.

She started setting stuff up on the computer while he stood in there awkwardly thinking about how fast he could possibly run away if he got the chance… It was a project but it didn't sound like it needed to get done right away after all. Holt could deal with it when this was all fixed.

Though Operetta was looking at him again.

"The file?"

"Oh. Right." he handed her the flash drive. That was getting equally inky. And sticky. There weren't any tissues in here so he just made sure he didn't touch the white side of Holt's shirt.

"Shut the door." she instructed as she pulled up the recording software checking the already present mic to make sure everything was in check. Briefly testing it as Jackson slowly did as instructed.

Wishing he ran instead…

"Did you want to go first so I can harmonise with you or…?"

Jackson smiled intensely feeling like the test all over. "No… you can."

She looked at him expectantly, then rolled her eyes. "Well turn up your music then."

"Right." Killer voice in here. Or insanity inducing voice or.. well he wasn't 100% sure what Operetta's freaky flaw was actually… Just that he couldn't hear her sing live.

Leaning back and listening to his music loudly, it somehow soothing his bad feelings. _Somehow. _Since he didn't like the music trigger.

Watching Operetta sing "silently".

His own headphones were weirdly refreshing to him though. Maybe it was just a physical transformation thing like how the quieter it was, the closer to transforming he was, and the worse he felt.

He flinched at a loud beeping coming from his iCoffin pulling it out to see it was on low battery. But he could manage for awhile.

It took him a full song of waiting for Operetta who then played it back to herself and tugged on his sleeve for him to listen again.

Jackson removed his headphones this time. Still able to hear Holt's rock mix.

"What do you think?" she asked pulling his iCoffin out of his hand and pausing his music as well as pressing play on their project. He jolted at the switchover he didn't consent to. But listened. Hearing faint remains of Holt's voice on their demo that he was probably expected to do over.

Sounded familiar. But still felt weird and cringeworthy hearing, himself… rather Holt sing.

Operetta was good though. That was much more pleasing to listen to, sing he knew she sang and played piano or organ or whatever but actually hadn't heard that much exposure to.

"You sound amazing…" he breathed thoroughly impressed.

"Wow. Ok, not to turn down that compliment but we're more in a critical mode right now."

"Uh well." could he even speak for Holt on this project "Everything is good."

"It's not even done yet. Stop talking over it." she snapped.

Jackson rolled his eyes still somewhat impatient as his battery was low, Holt had mysteriously forgotten his iCoffin's charger and he was anxious to get home and see if there was a way to fix their problem whilst missing certain chemicals. Or just fix everything Holt had screwed up schoolwork wise today.

Speaking of iCoffin's. He fumbled with his seeing the song come to a close. Filling in the lack of playlist gap. Holt's trigger was tricky and felt like ambling across a trail of stones over a river. Constantly fearing slipping off.

Except the river didn't end and he was starting to wish their trigger was back to night and day.

"It's still good." he told Operetta scratching his neck.

"Great, then it's your turn. Was the volume ok? I don't want to get any reverb but well... Can't be too quiet.." she sighed clearly aware of the tendency of her singing partner to disappear in a puff of flame.

Oh _that's _where he'd seen this room before.

"Oh right uhm. Well you see, would you. Could you. Leave?" Jackson asked trying to think of a good reason for her to. There was no way he was going to sing. This.. song he didn't even know the words to.

Operetta crossed her arms "_Excuse me?_"

"Um. Please?" Jackson suddenly realised how scary Operetta could look if she wanted.

"I don't see why. And I don't take kindly to being told what to do by the slacker on this project."

"Yeah well. I had to turn up my music for your uhhh." ok she might take the term freaky flaw insulting "Issues. It'd be nice if I could have the room for. Mine."

She wasn't budging.

"I mean we kind of go to a school for.. issues. So I'd hope you understand it might get weird in here… what with accidentally pausing and finding the right volume and…"

"So wouldn't you rather have me in here to make sure your issue doesn't wake up from his nap~?"

Nap?

Most people didn't know that they slept in the back of their brain. How much did she know about Holt… how much did he tell her…?

"It's going to be inevitable if I want to record properly…" he offered.

Operetta sighed "Well if you're going to be a giant baby about it fine." she started towards the door "But don't take too long. Make sure the dweeb knows we're doing important stuff here. I'll push him back in if he comes out."

Ok he'd definitely been in this room before.

"Thanks" he smiled waiting for her to leave. Closing the door before he let out a giant breath and leaned against the foamy wall.

Talking to people was getting exhausting. Operetta and Holt seemed closer than most people he'd talked to today too..

She'd noticed something was up but…

Well he hadn't been super obnoxious around her and Operetta hadn't called him out on it.

He wondered how Holt normally acted around her.

Then ran a hand through his stiff straight up hair looking at the project.

Sitting and looking for a text document on this computer. Finally finding one to suitably talk to his other side.

**Operetta's outside just hurry it up this door doesn't have a lock. **

**If you can't tell it's your music theory project. **

**Also thanks a lot for warning me about your TEST today. **

**You better ask for extra credit after all this. **

**I need time to work on the potion formula and all the classes I'm positive you didn't take notes for today. **

**Also where are the chemicals for that? They aren't in my bag. **

Casting a worried glance at his iCoffin he pressed pause. A small lag before it kicked in.

"Ah!" he grabbed the chair.

* * *

><p>He was standing now.<p>

Jackson blinked noting the time difference and the different sound squiggles on the recording software. Sitting back down. Different playlist too. Maybe this was what Holt was wishing he could listen to.

Noticing the text document was further filled.

_**there was a test today?**_

Jackson rolled his eyes. Ok figured why he had no warning on that one.

_**man you probs screwed it up jerk**_

_**u kno this is alllll ur fault right? **_

_**i dont kno y i let u talk me into this**_

_**also do you kno how hard it is to harmonize when you cant hear all of the song?**_

_**rllllly hard**_

_**so u failed my test and are messing up my project **_

_**not too happy with u jacklyn 3 3 **_

_**science juice in locker**_

Well if Holt was done he could let Operetta back in…

Looking at the door he clicked on the last line of their notes to each other instead. Just a tiny bit ticked off he never got a warning for the test he could have crammed for during his library time. 2

**Yes. There was a freaking test today, Holt!**

**I'm not a jerk for failing that, the whole separation thing was your idea. **

**So this is your fault for making me try and mad science our way out of our family history. **

**Which started from worse mad science. **

**That should have been warning enough for me not to try it. **

**Yes I wanted it too. But if you weren't such a buttwipe 24/7 and ruin everything in my life maybe I wouldn't want to cut you off of me like a tumor. To go live your own stupid tumor life that you could just ruin on your own instead of dragging mine into it. **

Pressing pause he had second thoughts about transforming while angry, knowing it often-

* * *

><p>-riled Holt up too.<p>

Ow.

Ooww, what the heck? He rubbed his arm. Feeling his bicep tender like it'd just been slugged.

_**if u call me a tumor again itll be ur eye next time**_

Jackson opened his mouth wanting to shout at him, but he wasn't even surprised.

"It's…" he sputtered outloud "It'd be your eye too! Ughhh!" he stood up to kick the wall then sit back down and look at whatever else he typed. Which was actually nothing.

Ready to write out a witty response about Holt's self destructive attitude when Operetta knocked on the door.

Jackson quickly exited out of the text document, telling the computer not to save as she came in.

"Are you done yet? I've been waiting forever." she asked coming in. Looking at him suspiciously while he sat sort of alarmed and spazzy.

"All good." he didn't want to listen to check.

Operetta looked past him at the program "Well can I listen?"

"Uhhh I actually need to be home early but I'll fix it up and um send it to you ok?" Jackson explained starting to save the file and put it back on his flashdrive.

"It'll only take a minute" Operetta made a face.

Jackson wasn't sure what else to say but just held up his iCoffin to her possibly to explain why he was in such a rush.

She actually looked sympathetic "Oh. Hun, I'll bring my charger if you're going to forget all the time.." she offered giving him this weird pity look.

Jackson was appreciative of her concern, mostly because it was sort of scary running on batteries in a sense.

"Thanks but I'm good. Really" he told her shutting down the computer and removing the drive.

"Ok." Operetta put her hands on her hip watching him hurriedly gather up his stuff. "I'll text you ok?"

"Yeah that's fine. Thanks for uh. Yeah." he managed out. Before opening the door to go.

"Oh and Holt." she started. Jackson almost not stopping from the wrong name drop.

"Yes?"

"I'd rather us study together than you cheat off me next time, ok?"

Jackson swallowed "Ok."

Operetta smiled at him. Almost in that same way that Frankie used to.

"I have to go." he blurted. Hunching and scrambling down the hallway.

Operetta looked at her inky hand then grabbed her own bag. Turning off the lights on her way out.

He'd better text back.


	14. Dead Battery

**Chapter 14**

**Dead Battery**

Author's Note: See June 17th the facebook archives for an explanation of a minor conversation. Not neccessary but just if anyone was curious as to where it came from. monsterhighdotwikiadotcom/wiki/Facebook

* * *

><p>Jackson rushed to his car after making a brief pit stop to his locker for the chemicals. On his way out, double checking that the Mad Science classroom was indeed locked. Keeping his music lowest he could, not because he was trying to listen for anyone but because he was indeed running low on juice.<p>

Making his way out to the parking lot fully prepared to go home and start trying to manage everything that'd happened today, he face palmed.

His car one of the only left, parked sideways with tire marks on the street around it.

He hadn't stopped to think how he actually got to school today. Quickly devising a plan to maybe hide his keys and force Holt to walk or something.

Wondering if Mom would listen to him on banning their car until this was all over with.

Jackson made a thorough inspection sighing with relief as no one had clawed or keyed it. Then got in. Pausing.

Looking at the radio.

Clicking it as rock music blasted into his car at full volume. He turned it down, always curious what his presets were actually on. Never able to check them because his car was a common booby trap. Rather… trigger trap.

A concept that was usually more relevant the more they fought. Holt would often set up music traps around the house or change the names on his songs, in attempts to get time out. His car was a common target since all it took was turning it on and not realizing Holt had left the radio at a loud volume to black out and wake up to getting pulled over for speeding or running into a stop sign.

Number one reason why Holt was permanently banned from his keys. It didn't matter if Holt could drive, Jackson mostly didn't need him turning on his car to blast pop music.

For once though he could actually enjoy it himself. Exiting out his music app to save energy, and finding a nice channel on the radio. Small gaps while waiting for the songs to change, never long enough to transform but long enough to make him anxious about it.

He drove home at a much calmer pace, annoyed Holt tore up his wheels like this.

Pulling his glasses out of his pocket he put them on, not worried about ruining Holt's precious image on the road.

* * *

><p>Jackson checked his texts after parking carefully at home. Half expecting something from InvisiBilly but nothing, a reminder from Frankie to take it easy, and a slightly threatening message from Operetta to send her the file before he worked on it.<p>

Sitting in the idling car he slowly turned down the radio, annoyed he was so restricted by the music bubble as his iCoffin bleeped him another reminder that it was almost dead. He put his headphones back on, it fairly loud but he was about to go inside and find one of Holt's music aids. There were like radios all over the house after all.

Walking up to the door and pulling out his keys since his mom's car was missing, he unlocked the top lock. About to unlock the bottom when his music stopped playing and his iCoffin vibrated in his pocket, completely dying.

His heart rate picked up, expecting to get another few minutes. Maybe if he could unlock fast enough!

He held back the flames as he fumbled to find the second lock.

Pins and needles poking at his skin.

_Come on! _He managed to sort of shove it into the lower lock beginning to turn when he couldn't take the pain anymore. Faltering for a split second, pushing himself against the door as he

* * *

><p>wobbled against the door frame to a head rush.<p>

Holt pulled his headphones down to his shoulders looking around. Noting the key in the lock and the iCoffin dead.

_Stupid Jackson_, he smiled. Stretching and whistling as he unlocked the lower lock letting himself in. The house was quiet and warm from the afternoon sun heating it with no A/C all day.

He put his hand on the mudroom's radio habitually before making a fist and recalling he needed quiet and silence to exist instead. Which he didn't completely mind, but getting blocked off from music was the annoying part. Not understanding why he couldn't have both like before, when he only existed at night. He'd rather never see the sun again then get roped off from his jams.

Holt _**knew **_it was Jackson's time and all, but didn't see why he needed to rush to give the nerd his evening. Taking his time as he went to find a snack in the kitchen settling in on the couch and turning on the tv. He hadn't really gotten to enjoy television since the trigger switch. Namely because while he could hear the tv, especially with subtitles, his music was always sort of obscuring the tone and he didn't always catch everything.

So while he was in this dweeb's body he might as well enjoy himself a little, still keeping it kind of low volume and his finger on mute incase any loud triggering commercials interrupted. Lazing on the couch for a moment after all of Jackson's stupid classes.

Missing that he didn't get to really jam out with Operetta, she could be inspiring when watching him sing. Even if it was a bit high pressure to perform well for her. Heck, the only friends he really got to see today was Heath and his lunch group kind of. Usually he looked forward to swim class. He wondered for the second time today if Lagoona would be cool with him showing up. If he was still in Jackson's skin tomorrow.

Maybe it'd just wear off…

* * *

><p>He ran up the stairs quickly closing the door behind him. Catching his breath. Heart pounding in his chest as he heard smashing noises on the floor below.<p>

Cringing at the screaming bellow that rung throughout the house.

Why was mom even home?

Why was she angry?

Pressing up against the door of his room this was why he wished he had a lock. Especially hearing the destruction. Clenching his fists as he heard wood splintering and dishes being smashed downstairs.

Looking for something in his room to move in front of the door. Not sure if he could move his bed or desk… Or chair? Maybe just hide in his messy closet if he could fit.

He was afraid of Mom's Hyde for several reasons.

Namely, it wasn't his mother.

Not anymore anyway.

Second, she was really strong and really angry. Usually it was in his defense but as a more feral monster, she didn't know where to stop, what the line was, or even what the problem was.

Third, she was a terrifying implication of a potential future path. Sure they didn't normally go nuts and kill people, but they had a bad family history of it.

Praying silently, he hoped his mom didn't know where he was. Glancing at his desk chair hoping it'd hold up against her if she wanted to smash his door in.

Thoughts interrupted as he heard her yell out his name from the stairs. Or at least that's what he thought she yelled, it was more of a roar really…

Swallowing hard he could hear her stomp up the steps. Bracing himself as he heard her in the hallway. Other doors sounded like they were being smashed or pounded open. Muscles tensing as she approached his.

The impact of her force against his door sent him to the ground on his face.

Scrambling to push his desk chair against the doorknob, then shove himself under his bed, he curled up in the dark cramped space.

Cringing as he heard wood splinter and his mother's heavy breathing as she forced her way in.

Shakey breaths as he layed still, hoping she wouldn't find him. Or assume the room was empty and wander off till she could calm down.

He felt a hand on his ankle.

Cursing aloud he grabbed carpet to no avail getting rug burn as he was wooshed out, fresh air hitting his face like a spotlight. He was pulled out into the open.

He saw dark blue skin and messy black hair before

* * *

><p>he woke up.<p>

The first thing that hit his ears was the silence again. Along with a soft clang of someone stirring something in the adjacent kitchen.

Holt opened his eyes and immediately sat up, then falling off the couch. And sitting up again.

His heart was still beating really fast, he still felt unsteady and leftover emotions from the nightmare.

Looking at the tv.

Off.

Looking at the window.

Night.

Looking at the kitchen.

Mom.

Peachy skin, just a dream before.

Wait, **Mom? **

Geez how late was it?

Looking at the clock.

Really early for her to be home.

Stumbling out of the dark living room he sat down in the bright kitchen. Looking at his mom confusedly. She was still wearing her scrubs from the hospital. Her dark black hair strung up in a lazy pony tail while she tended to what smelt like pasta.

Channeling his inner Jackson wasn't hard when he was this groggy.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked groaning. Rubbing his head. Mostly just kind of ticked off at this point. _All that wasted time… _

"Your body clearly needed the sleep." she retorted rolling her eyes to look at him. "Where are your glasses?"

Giving him a headache.

"The couch I guess. We don't." he leaned back in the chair still shaking off his tiredness "Need sleep."

"Yes you do. It's unhealthy for you.. two to only sleep one day of the week."

"And we don't need naptime on sundays either." he stretched pushing his bangs out of his face annoyed still. "Only baby monsters need naptime." Holt huffed bitterly, looked at the kitchen clock already forgetting his previously gauged time "Now, _Holt_ won't have enough time out. After I. Do homework and junk."

Their mother gave him an odd look as he was petitioning for Holt to get more hours. "You want me to give.. Holt more time out tonight?"

She was right, that was out of character for either of them.

He smiled thinking about why Jackson would want that, something his mom would believe "I don't want him angry at me…"

Which was right. Whenever the dork stole too much time, Jackson didn't want to be on Holt's bad side. Especially when he had access to his homework, diary, phone contacts, car… well everything.

Their mother paused looking at him sternly and seriously. Her own glasses only making it sharper. "Did he threaten you again?" she asked with a tone.

Holt swallowed sitting up straight "Uh. No. But."

"But he doesn't need to actually make a threat to scare you? This isn't going to be like that time you went to your Uncle Fahren's? I know you two have been touchy ever since you got off the night-day timer." she sighed, wishing it were back to the time when they couldn't squabble over sharing a life. Things were so much more peaceful before they knew…

Uncle Fahren's… **Oh**.

Holt briefly smiled fantasizing about that time Jackson tried to steal an entire **week **of his summer for some "peace and quiet" on some musicless dumb farm.

Jackson, wasn't expecting to get a self inflicted black eye right before Holt was forced out of the picture.

Man that was the best thing he ever got away with.

_**Served him right…**_

He rested on his elbows watching his mom straight what appeared to be pasta. His stomach yearning. He hadn't had a real meal cooked by someone else in what felt like forever. Leftovers didn't count. Their mother was rarely home early enough to make dinner.

"Well maybe if we'd grown up knowing we had a secret evil twin brother…" Holt rolled his eyes sort of knowingly pushing his mother's button's. Knowing he was referring to himself as the evil one but taking self satisfaction in knowing he was really talking about Jackson.

"We'd know how to **share** better Mom~"

It didn't take Jackson's brain to know a simple reason they had difficulty getting along.

Both Jackson and Holt had grown up as a single child. With a single child mindset.

To suddenly in teenage years not only have to start sharing but start sharing **everything? **Was what caused at least half of their disputes.

Literally **everything. **Try telling that one to a potential girlfriend.

He could see it now.

_Hey sweet fang, I know you like me a lot but wait until you meet what I become when I'm not in a party. Yes that's right! You got not one but two boys for the price of one. Yeah I don't know if it's cheating if you date the one who was chess club champion in middle school…?_

"I wouldn't really call Holt your _brother_…" His mom eased out making a face.

Well she had no problem with the **evil** label apparently.

She turned to start serving bowls of spaghetti to the table, then half dropped hers, onto the table just set it down pretty hard.

"What happened to your shirt!?" she asked quickly coming around to his side to pull out his half burnt sweater vest.

Then half closed her eyes "Blackout?" she asked sarcastically, both knowing what the codeword was for by this point.

Though Holt retaliated. Sure it was his fault, but he hated the assumption that it was. "_Our clothes don't work that way_." he retorted with an edge of anger.

Which was true, unless he deliberately sabotaged Jackson's clothing somehow before school.

"Well I know he did _that…_" his mother pointed to his hands sitting down with a sort of annoyed disappointed expression.

Ok melting pens could be a problem. And this one was actually Jackson's fault… who was what his mom considered "Holt" right now.

"I can break my own **pens**!" he defended himself? Making a face.

Though his mom looked surprised. As he was quick to defend the assumption it was Holt.

When usually they were continually complaining against the other.

"Have you two been…" she looked confused "Talking?" Which was great if they were, better to get along then sabotage and be self destructive. But she certainly wasn't expecting it any time soon.

Holt guessed she meant like working together and such.

"In a **way**…" Holt made a face looking at his food and stuffing his face to avoid further confrontation as to why he was sticking up for his reputation.

His mom wasn't really touching her food though still looking at him suspiciously. Like there was something off about her son. Maybe it was because he had his glasses off.

"I mean I know you have to coordinate on things sometimes. But are things getting any better?"

They were actually getting worse but, Holt swallowed his milk stalling. Thinking about Jackson's tumor comment. Shoulder still sore from punching himself.

"Well. I don't know. We aren't the same as you and **your** Hyde that's for sure." he thought it was an innocent enough comment until he heard the hard clank of his mom's fork hitting her ceramic bowl.

She smiled scarily "_Jackson_. We. Don't. Talk about her. Remember?" she warned him.

Holt looked at his food recalling his dream. "Yeah but."

"Don't. Talk about her." she just repeated.

He always had questions. He knew their mother's Hyde was more like, Mom smash! not the same as himself but…

Mind wandering back to his dream.

The fact he existed always made him wonder if she was hiding another person under there.

Stress and anger was her trigger what if she just always came out in her worst moods?

Because though Jackson could suppress Holt's life to his annoyance, to hide her Hyde that much seemed overly cruel.

It wasn't up to discussion though.

To their knowledge her Hyde wasn't an actual person just animal instinct that liked to scare things and make them move a lot.

As outspoken as Holt was he was easily shut down by his mom's scolding.

He just wasn't as afraid of consequence as Jackson was.

Their mom picked up on Holt's troubled expression though.

And sighed breaking her own rule "She's not like. You know she's not a _real_ person? Just how I get when. Things get bad."

"I know, Mom."

"I mean I thought Holt was going to be like that too. I know things are hard, but to my knowledge you're the first in the family like this. Kind of gives me hope maybe we're watering down the family curse thing."

"Hey if you don't mind. It was always like that right?" Holt asked almost insecurely.

"What do you mean?"

"Like you always went into rage muscle mode when you, poof'd!" he made hand motions to imply exploding. When he meant transforming.

She actually smiled "If you're concerned one day you're going to just turn into a straight up horrible destructive monster, you're too late."

**Oh ouch, Mom.**

"Just kidding, yeah it was always like that. Don't worry Jackson, you aren't going to turn 20 one day and Holt's going to be your muscley rage form." then smiled as she took her finished bowl to the sink "I mean to our _knowledge_"

"**Really reassuring, Mom**. Thanks for that." Holt rolled his eyes.

She walked past him ruffling his hair on her way upstairs "If you have problems with Holt just tell him it's my fault he has a short night."

Jackson was going to be a little grump about that wasn't he.. Though he smiled to himself thinking about Jackson dealing with being the obvious second choice son if he _did _complain. Mom was harder on her blue child after all, being the supposed evil one.

He finished up eating, taking pride he got to be the one to enjoy this meal when it was warm and fresh and not leftovers.

Then hurrying upstairs to check his social sites, pulling up some quiet music to put his mind at ease, and bring him some comfort from this awful day.

Glancing at the time soon after he got distracted for a good 20 minutes.

Sighing he didn't want to give up his time, when he was stuck with the stupid school day after all.

But Jackson needed to figure out how to get things back to normal. Despite his nap though he was still in need of a serious recharge. Just like their iCoffin heh.

Logging out of his accounts for good measure he pulled out a word document making the font large enough.

**all yours dorkus**

Then turned up his background music feeling the sting of transforming, as he held his head letting it happen. Easing into it.

* * *

><p>Jackson practically bolted awake grabbing his computer chair. Like waking up from a nightmare.<p>

_Wait._

He **did** have a nightmare.

Blackouts didn't involve dreams unless.

Looking at the time.

And his dark room window.

Oh that idiot!

How could he fall asleep during a time like this!

Glancing at the text doc and reading Holt's message further.

**i kno its a bit late. mom said take it up with her if ur angry about it **

Did she have something to do with this?

Why was she even home?

Jackson started to storm angrily out of his room making it halfway across the hall before he realized something was wrong.

* * *

><p>He woke up in his room and was reminded of some sort of video game logic.<p>

Looking at his hand that was sticky with fresh black ink.

**omg did u just try to storm out from the music bubble ur adorable**

Jackson grumbled as his iCoffin was dead to his knowledge, going to quickly dig around for his old mp3 player. Not finding it.

Digging out his iCoffin he found one of the chargers and immediately plugged it in as his laptop's music kept him safe in his room.

Still very very very ticked off that Holt fell asleep. Of all things he could have wasted their time on. They'd figured out long ago if one was awake at night and one was awake during the day it didn't seem to have any ill effects.

His mom would blame any sickness on lack of sleep though and forced them to get as much sleep as they could but. It was a serious waste of time. He had to split his life already he didn't need to waste any of it on sleep.

He slept in his brain. Musing about dolphins and hemispheres he realized his iCoffin was taking too long.

Grumbling he turned down the volume on his laptop and lifted it like an open book, feeling ridiculous as he pulled his ball and chain across the hallway to his mother's room.

He stumbled into his mom's room, who didn't even look up from her book she was reading under the soft yellow light of her room. His music feeling awkward and loud in here, now she could hear it too.

She was in her pajamas and seemed ready for bed or relaxation time.

Frowning because this was probably her fault, he walked up to her.

"**Mom**" he started angrily.

"No." she retorted looking at him unamused, before he could react: shut his laptop.

* * *

><p>He woke up at his desk, laptop opened to a later part of the same song.<p>

It was like a video game check point, and in the same frustrating way of game over again.

No message from Holt. Not even an apology. Or a good explanation.

Like he could expect either from him.

He stood up snatching his iCoffin off the wall, it barely had any charge but it could probably last a conversation. Properly hooking himself up, this was only getting him more upset.

Marching back over to his mom's room.

Opening the door and already starting.

"I can't believe you did that!"

"Believe it." she set her book down and looked at him unamused.

Jackson already started to feel shut down by her glare. Something was off about how she was looking at him.

"Was Jackson asleep when you got home?" he asked still upset, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall now. Keeping his distance incase she tried to just turn him off again.

"Yup."

"And **why **didn't you wake him up?" he huffed really upset at all this stupid wasted time.

"Your body needs sleep, Holt. I said the same thing to Jackson. That's why I keep trying to make you take naps more often. I think it should be a daily thing, you're going to get sick."

"I am not. And we don't need sleep." he'd had this argument before. Namely on sundays when his homework was nearly done and his mother said he needed a "good start" to the school week.

"Everything. Needs sleep. I should know, I'm a doctor. It's unhealthy, and you have a messed up brain as it is, you probably wouldn't fight as often if you were well rested. Sleep fixes everything up there." his mother told him firmly glancing at the clock. Speaking of sleep...

"I think I know more about our body than-"

"**Holt. **Stop arguing with me and just accept it's gonna be a short night!" she glared at him "It's not like you've never stolen time from him. Now get back to your room before I ground you and confiscate your headphones."

Jackson was taken aback not used to this sort of scolding "What like...I have to use a different pair..?" he asked meekly.

"Like it'd be your two classes **only** until next wednesday" she threatened.

Jackson's heart skipped a beat in a bad way. Burning sort of bit at his eyes from her tone.

"But now I won't have enough time for my own school work" he sort of lied. But if he brought up school it helped his side of the argument. Plus it made him look good like he was trying to be more studious.

"Can't Jackson finish that up?" she asked glancing back at her book like she didn't care about the argument.

Well not with all his real homework he needed to catch up on.

"He can't do music theory…" Jackson whined back.

"And how long is that gonna take really?" she scoffed looking at him, as it was just the one class.

Actually Jackson had no idea but Holt did also need time for that. On top of things. This would be a lot more excusable if he'd used the time for _that _instead of dozing off. Still angry about it but more understandable than wasting it all. All that time down the drain.

"But night is my turn and now it's like half a turn…" he grumbled losing this argument.

"Then take your turn, but leave enough time for Jackson to do his work I know it'll take longer than yours. You already got a nap, he shouldn't need that much of a break" she sounded like she believed it was really that simple.

"That's still not enough time for-" he stopped feeling his iCoffin buzz again. Pulling it out, his mom looked at him fumble with it.

Jackson could only see a battery on the screen again. Not enough charge.

* * *

><p>"So what'd he say?" Holt asked pulling his headphones down to his neck.<p>

"He's upset he won't get to goof off all night." his mom mumbled flipping a page in her book.

Holt grimaced "Yeah that sounds like him." he forced a chuckle before easing out of there. Looking at the black screen of his iCoffin, he felt the same as it's dead batteries. Definitely in need of a long recharge.


	15. Bed Head

Holt laid back in his pillow tempted to go to sleep again just to teach Jackson a lesson or something, and benefit. Though if he put his mind to it he could come up with something better he was sure.

Turning over to his belly and squeezing the pillow while he thought over their situation. Still looking like a normie. If they weren't going to Monster High he could've taken advantage of this, but this city, this school. To his advantage to be blue.

Even if it was half the time.

But now he was on the other side of the coin and it wasn't very fun. And he was all about fun!

Like anything else, he had to roll with it. Waking up in random theaters, parties, around familiar strangers, he always found a way to make it work.

He had to find a way to make this work too.

Rolling over to his back he slid his laptop onto his lap again recalling why he was summoned. Sending Operetta the file after some minor editing.

Checking in his other social media sites, finally able to be himself **somewhere. **No one could tell he had pink hands behind the screen after all, his happy digital blue face avatar was the perfect mask.

Even if Frankie was asleep by now, but she had the earliest bedtime, if she wasn't going out she tended to plug herself in early. Smiling at thinking how they were both battery powered in a way.

Well not at the moment.

Which was becoming something of a freedom. But still shackled to silence. Antsy, he lowered the computer volume and put on one of his usual playlists at low volume. Wasn't the same, but he was still getting used to quiet again. Like the old nights of no one else being awake in the house and feeling like he was the only one there despite his parents being asleep nearby.

Half of the reason he started listening to music so much was to spice up the too quiet house. He shouldn't have to sit through this anyway, he just needed to check a couple things, then he could pass out and wake up in school where all the people were at. And on a friday no less. Sounded great.

Clicking on Heath tagging him in a post.

**gonna have a killer slumber party tomorrow night! be there or be squareee **-_with Clawd Wolf, Gil Webber, Deuce Gorgon, and Holt Hyde_

Ignoring Deuce's repetitive comment of

**creepover, dude. **

He wasn't sure whether to video chat this or text file.

Well it was more of a clarification thing. He did want to go to that party, he was always down to party but he was just really confused that Jackson said yes to it. In this condition.

Holt himself really wanted to go but, if he went. That'd mean **Jackson **was going. **In his body. **And was going to **totally **ruin his rep.

Leaving open his Facespook page open for his other half to see, he sat up and pulled an additional document to bug Jackson with.

_**dude? thought we weren't going?**_

Then edged his tunes up to what should have been comfortable levels of volume.

* * *

><p><strong>I thought it would be weird if "<strong>_**you" **_**said no to a party. **

Holt sat up at the new text, music completely off. He lowered the volume and started it up again.

Jackson was trying to act like him at least... To his knowledge, not like he could exactly monitor his acting skills.

_**yeah? i didnt wanna turn the guys down either but**_

_**arent u kind of forgetting our status?**_

_**unless u planned on fixin us a new drug tonite?**_

Pushing the volume back up to this one, he really wanted to sing along… Pins and needles attacking him once more.

* * *

><p>Holt swore the most disorienting thing was waking up only a few minutes later with a completely different posture.<p>

**I don't have all the ingredients yet, and still not sure if I want to replicate what messed us up to begin with. If I can't figure it out before the party I'll figure it out on Saturday no biggie. **

Holt slapped his forehead, then leaned back sighing. Upset now. No. Freakin' pissed.

Actually standing up to grab their school bag. At first fast, then hearing glass clink around. Cursing and taking out the oh-so-important chemicals and placing them on their nightstand.

Then climbing back into bed.

_**check saturday**_

* * *

><p><strong>What?<strong>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Check saturday in that stupid planner that u make me use so i dont make gigs the night u have tests! <strong>_

* * *

><p>Jackson blinked. The night passing by quicker than he anticipated while he talked to himself.<p>

Planner?

His stomach flipped as he had a bad feeling about this.

Possibly just from Holt's own emotional leak.

Pulling out said planner from his bag, trying to think of the last time he looked at it.

Looking at Saturday.

Cringing.

He'd given Holt a hard time about not using a shared planner, and now he was at fault on this one.

Saturday was outlined in every color highlighter they owned. Then coated in bright yellow. Then written in black giant sharpie.

**Cleo's Party!**

Surrounded by :P and smiley faces and balloons, and confetti and well basically Holt was making sure Jackson knew they were busy that day.

Even if it didn't start till 7, and he probably had to go in early to set up. Great.

If he didn't fix them before that well…

Jackson shuddered to think of himself up on the DJ booth everyone looking at him.

Having to publicly speak and perform and…

He'd have to cancel, seeing Heath was still online he shot him a text with his charging iCoffin.

**Don't think we can make it to your creepover after all. **

It took less than a minutes for a reply.

**Nice try Jackson. Holt already said you were going. **

Jackson made a face. Trying again.

**No it's really me. We can't go. Too much homework, and Cleo's party. **

It was clear he was probably only going to take Holt seriously on this one, they were better friends and he already said he was going. Which just made this situation his own fault…

Tearing out a piece of paper and slipping a sharpie from his pocket, still in school clothes. He wrote quickly

**Not going. **

In bold large letters taking a selfie of him making a grumpy face with it to prove to Heath the supposed party monster couldn't make his mini party. Sending it before Heath could send another reply.

It took him a couple seconds to reply.

**:c maaaan ok. lemme know if you change your mind. **

Jackson sat back, that taken care of.

He should probably tell Holt.

**Taken care of. **

* * *

><p><em><strong>cant believe after riding my butt about that stupid planner you ignored it<strong>_

Jackson blinked. Thinking Holt would have been happy about this.

**Well it's fixed so it doesn't matter. **

He typed back rolling his eyes. Noting that he was no longer logged into Holt's accounts anymore. The music kept changing too. Skipping between transformations.

Almost like he was

* * *

><p>Holt changed the music again listening quietly and kind of fuming a bit. He was a bit of a hot head, there was no denying that. Jackson fixed their problem that he caused himself, but just after all this it was like stupid Jackson thought he was above a method just because he suggested it. Bad enough he was telling him to use that planner, but Holt's life didn't' revolve around Jackson's. At least he tried his very best to make sure it didn't.<p>

Considering taking another nap just to screw with him he thought of something less harsh.

_**ur a butt to me whenever i forget ur plans. **_

He typed thinking.

_**so u deserve atleast a reminder not to do it again 3**_

_**night though unless u WANT me sleeping thru all ur classes**_

Then got off the bed leaving the computer for him to read later. Lying on the ground and scooting his head just under the metal rim of the underside of his bed.

Pulling the headphones on his neck up to his ears and pressing play on his iCoffin.

* * *

><p>"Ow!" Jackson slammed his head against his bed as he came into consciousness suddenly.. Holding his head and sliding out. Sitting up and looking at where Holt had left their position.<p>

That was just evil.

Grumbling he crawled up to the bed fully ready to make an angry video at Holt, but had to grin and bear it.

Reading he remembered how long Holt had actually been out. And he'd spent a good chunk of tonight arguing with himself too…

Hadn't even started on homework.

And now he had a headache great.

Pulling out his notebooks he sighed at the short but long night ahead of him.


	16. Again

"Just look at the board." Jackson mumbled under his breath, laying on his bed and watching the poor video notes that Holt took.

A shakey camera looking mostly at the board. But of course Frankie sat in front of them.

She sneezed and once again the camera floated to her image.

"_Bless __**you, **__angel"_

"_Aw thanks, Jackson"_

Jackson almost gagged at the loud whispers from the video. This wasn't Flirt with Frankie 101 why couldn't he just take notes.

Groaning as he had to get to school soon and his math was incomplete.

Giving up he went to change for school. And… take a shower. Remembering he made Holt take… that other route to class yesterday. He still smelt like moldy catacombs water.

Having just enough time for a quick shower, he hadn't really been to this bathroom since they screwed up. It still smelt smokey.

Frowning at the mirror; like he had at his reflection since the change. Every time he caught sight of himself, it was still weirdly jarring to look at. Like he shaved his head and just kept forgetting somehow.

Pushing his red hair down and squinting making a face. Still kinda looked like him… just in monster flavor. Weird because he'd known Holt all his life in a way, but never actually met him. Taking off his clothes and realising why Holt generally had wireless headphones. Even if it was hard to get his collar around a wider head.

Turning on the shower and pausing.

Wait how did Holt shower with music…

Sitting on the closed toilet seat and dropping his pants he looked around the bathroom for a speaker or a stereo.

Looking at his thighs. So much blue.

Taking him too long to realise something he'd just glazed over every day. Peeking in the shower at the shower radio. Turning it on to what he assumed was trigger ready music station. Not on commercial for one thing. Finally unplugging.

Taking a deep breath and getting fully nude.

Grumbling to himself, only because he had seen Holt naked before in photos but usually in a pranking sort of way. He generally didn't look forward to it.

Even if it was just his usual self but cerulean.

Stepping in the shower and quickly pumping the water up to full heat, standing on the dry side while he waited for the water to warm more.

Guessing he was more sensitive to colder water like this.

* * *

><p>It was a quick shower but he did really enjoy the near boiling spray. Shivering to leave the tub, he was starting to realise why they always used to keep the house so warm when Dad was still around.<p>

Leaving the bathroom to change shirts and put back on Holt's awful fashion choice of firetruck red jacket. It was just past sunrise and he needed to get going.

His mother's door was open to her room and she didn't seem to be in there so she must have been downstairs.

Pausing at the foot of the stairwell.

Taking a breath and hoping she didn't remember that he still had his car keys.

She was in the kitchen looking at a Health magazine, seemed to be monster themed though judging by the werewolf with the cone of shame on the page she was leafing through.

Sipping her coffee she glanced up at him. Hard not to when a stoplight entered the room.

He gave a nervous grimace then went to make himself a bagel for breakfast. Starving after having not eaten since dinner. Doing schoolwork all night.

"You're up early." she noted.

Jackson went to get some milk for his incoming bagel, scratching his neck.

"Yeah well. Short night." he answered passive aggressively.

"Doing what exactly again? Because I'm pretty sure you didn't take out the trash."

Right, Holt tended to do chores instead of homework.

"I have classes too." he mumbled getting out scream cheese too. Stalking over to wait for his breakfast. At Least his stomach wasn't sour anymore.

"_Mm hm_" she made that awful noise, like she didn't really believe anything he was saying.

Jackson brushed it off as his bagel popped up, quickly preparing it, ready to just eat it upstairs rather than endure all this.

"So you never gave me the keys last night."

Jackson stiffened up. Great.

"Oh. Didn't I?" he answered nervously.

"Neither of _you _did." she looked up from her magazine holding her hand out "Walk or take the yellow school bus, what is it gonna be~?"

"Is the yellow school bus, Jackson?"

"Yes."

"That wasn't horribly clear"

"Keys, Holt."

He sighed dramatically pulling them from his jacket pocket and handing them over. Taking a bite out of his bagel that was warming his hand.

"And I don't know how your clothes work" his mom continued cocking her head "But make sure you bring Jackson some unburnt clothes."

Jackson actually blinked innocently before his mom gave him this look.

"**Woah** that wasn't me." he answered in a convincely Holt-like way.

"Again I don't know how your clothes work so I'm going to have to trust Jackson since he said the same thing…" she added suspiciously "Just make sure he doesn't have a holey shirt at school ok?"

"Ok." he looked at the kitchen clock "Guess I'll need to start _walking _if I'm going to make it on time"

"When you prove you can pass the driver's test without "_seeing how many cones you can hit" _we'll talk about keys." his mom reminded him as Jackson headed upstairs to grab his stuff for class.

* * *

><p>Jackson didn't remember it ever taking him this long to get to Monster High.<p>

Why did Holt have to be such an awful driver anyway.

Slightly out of breath he still had enough time to get to class, crossing the campus parking lot on foot for once, he wondered if he could squeeze in enough time to finish some more math problems before class.

Before he stumbled over something his foot clearly hit.

Then was caught by an equally invisible hand.

Looking around, and waiting for InvisiBilly's courtesy to visify.

It took longer than usual.

A yawning InvsiBilly fading into the morning light.

"Oh man I'm sorry... I forgot I was that close to you."

Jackson squinted barely able to make him out.

"It's dangerous to be so close to the parking lot." Jackson warned starting to walk again. Having a hard time hearing any sort of footsteps nearby, but flickers of the nearby "ghost" were enough to get a sense.

"Uh duh, that's why I was shadowing the most visible thing out here" he heard. Though the voice was groggy.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah just really tired. Can't really… saving visibility energy for when I'm making sure no one sits on me during roll." Jackson heard another yawn.

"You know those nights where you're just like up all night chatting with your ghoul. I mean like, texting, nothing weird but…"

Jackson rolled his eyes as it was obvious he wasn't exactly seeing anyone right now.

"Wait you're single right? Sorry man"

Or not that obvious.

"I'm on pause." Jackson grumbled not wanting to explain the Frankie thing again "So yeah, it's complicated."

"Doesn't Jackson normally drive to school?" he heard InvisiBilly press, feeling a slight tug on his bag as they got closer to more students, guessing InvisiBilly really was shadowing him at this point. Not wanting to get bumped into.

Jackson took awhile to answer this one.

"I felt like walking" he lied.

"Uh huuh." he heard InvisiBilly mull over. "So do you share the car or…?"

"So am I your seeing eye monster or can you get to class on your own?" Jackson asked frankly getting kind of annoyed that he couldn't shake InvisiBilly right now. He was a nice monster but Jackson didn't need anyone over analyzing his behaviorisms.

"Seeing eye monster." He answered "Unless you have a white sheet I can use. I'll pretend I'm a new ghost and see how many people I can catch off guard~"

Ok that was pretty funny but Jackson didn't laugh.

"And here I thought you were supposed to be the fun one~~" InvisiBilly sang. Jackson could still feel the tug on his bag as he maneuvered the halls full of werewolves, vampires, zombies and random unique monsters. Every shade of hair color, every color of eye, or lack of pupils. He avoided eye contact with Scarah as she looked at him suspiciously.

"Shh if you don't think about me too hard sometimes I can get under the radar." InvisiBilly hushed him.

"Doesn't help that you're talking then"

"We're in a crowded hallway she won't notice."

"That's your plan?"

"That's the plan~" InvisiBilly glanced at his ghoulfriend before Jackson tugged them down the hall approaching his next class.

"Are you avoiding her?"

"No, but you could say she's master of hide and seek and I'd like to win for once in our relationship, hehe. Think that may have counted thanks." InvisiBilly finally started to fade into view, now that they were stopped. Needing to maneuver to his own class after all, dull blue color scheme already sort of drifting into the shadows regardless. He gave Jackson a poorly executed fist bump before walking off.

Jackson slunk into class, for once, early. Avoiding his usual morning obstacles was certainly a time saver, if only he could trust Holt to actually get him to class on a regular basis. He recalled trying in the past… and not making it to class until 3rd period. And not the right class at that…

Fully prepared for being dismissed early he tried to sit in a less than obvious spot. Behind a tall werewolf he'd never met, recalling no one really sat back here after that flea rumor.

Wondering how long he could survive this time.

He sat awkwardly, trying not to be noticed.

No one sat next to him, and no one seemed to look at him.

Though he didn't really know anyone in this class. He usually entered late, or wet, or bruised, and just focused on his work.

Slipping on his glasses subtly as their literal ogre teacher began the lesson, slightly difficult to see past the tall itchy werewolf but he managed.

Never more excited to take notes really. The lesson actually starting and he wasn't getting called out. A huge relief from yesterday.

Until about half an hour in.

The itchy werewolf got up to excuse himself to the restroom and Jackson sunk into his seat. A bit cocky he could get away with

"Holt Hyde?" the warty ogre woman put her chalk down for a minute looking straight at him.

With the rest of the class.

Jackson slipped his glasses off and smiled nervously.

"Um. Yes Ma'am?" he asked drumming his fingers in anxiety.

She looked at him expectantly for a moment.

"I marked you absent."

Jackson breathed out in relief "Uh. Sorry." he answered "I'm here."

"Say something next time" she continued with the lesson while Jackson tried to calm his pounding heart, then smiled that she let it slide. Apparently someone could give Holt a chance, feeling like a weight was lifted. Scrawling out notes hurriedly, he doubted other teachers would give him the same opportunity

Scratching his head, he briefly wondered if there was a reason no one sat in this seat.

* * *

><p>.<p>

No one even said anything about the glasses, or looked at him. Like he was invisible, which was great because he was wearing the brightest color scheme in class and was usually pretty loud. Wishing he had sat closer, only able to hear half of her lecture over his music, Jackson was just lucky he avoided any pop quizzes today.

Scooting out of his seat at the end of class he took his time, and swallowed unsure if this could come back to bite him, but he felt grateful to _not _say anything.

Approaching the teacher's desk after class.

She looked up at him, orange, warty and really not the most attractive monster, she slapped on jewelry and make up regardless of being a female ogre thing.

"Did you understand the lesson ok?" she asked actually sounding sweet. Though this was the teacher he was usually forever grateful to… letting him get to class late consecutively.

"Yeah I was just. Uh." he scratched his head again, knitting his brow wondering if that was going to be an issue "Wanted to say thanks for not kicking me out."

"I believe any student eager for knowledge will make an effort to show up." she just left it at that. "Even if they're a bit late to class. By a few months." she pulled her own pink rimmed glasses down to look him over smiling as he felt in the spotlight. "If you're ever curious as to what goes on in first period I teach a weekly review after school on tuesdays." then added "And a night class."

"Thanks for the offer." after all this was over he wondered if Holt would consider going back to night classes. Or at least something more than two electives "I'll keep it in mind just uh…"

"You're going to be late for next period~" she warned stacking her own papers.

"Thanks!" he squeaked out before going out into the hall. Almost regretting it, but after yesterday he didn't think she fully knew how much just having one normal period meant to him right now.

Recalling Mr. Rotter's class yesterday, getting the boot immediately.

Couldn't hurt to try.

Again.


	17. Voltageous

Frankie looked at the clock on her iCoffin and sighed thinking about yesterday. Sometimes that boy could really get her picking at her stitches. Which she was doing, mostly because one of the seams was loose and uneven, though her efforts only seemed to be making it worse.

Looking up she saw an awkward looking Holt entering the class with Jackson's glasses on. Though strangely didn't seem to be mocking his other half.

The fact that he wasn't serenading her, jumping on a desk or dancing actually had her just as worried about him as she was the day before.

Speaking of the day before. Frankie rose from her seat approaching him. He smiled at first then face melted into a sort of fear as she backed him into a corner, bolts sparking slightly.

"I can't believe you skipped swim class yesterday!" she started, as he sputtered "And just! Ran out on me in the nurse's office. She probably thinks I'm crazy now…" she recalled trying to show the nurse a picture of him being hurt and the embarrassment of not being able to explain properly.

Then she blinked mood switching "Wait why are you wearing Jackson's glasses?"

"_What_?" he looked surprised before quickly taking them off, a face of guilt like she'd caught him in a lie "Haha these aren't _Jackson's _glasses… These are mine. He just holds onto them sometimes for me~"

"Nice save, you dolt" she rolled her eyes, as the bell rang.

"I think you mean, nice save you **Holt**~" he seemed pleased with himself that he was on a roll as she started back to their seats.

He probably thought he was off the hook but she wasn't that forgetful "You still didn't tell me where you went. Or why you didn't go back to class?" Frankie grilled.

"Uuumm."

She grabbed his arm making a face at him so he couldn't just wander off to avoid her.

"Well?" she was hoping to get an answer before they got called out for being slow to their spots.

"I would love to expand on uh. What happened yesterday but unfortunately this isn't my class~!" he smiled, grabbing his headphones off his head and tossing them to Frankie. Who caught them reflexively. Her interrogation subject going up in flames.

She sighed.

Jackson looked more than pleased to see her. But it would be too rude to force him away.

"_**Long time no see~**_" he attempted to flirt before Mr. Rotter cleared his throat at the two of them.

"Ahah… talk to you later…" she handed his headphones back to him before taking a seat. Feeling like he was causing her a lot of embarrassment in front of authority lately.

Adjusting a loose stitch as she half paid attention to the instructions. Mind caught up in that boy… those boys? Plural…? Still friends with him even if they weren't exactly dating anymore.

The thought causing her to accidentally pop the thread from a hole in her skin.

Woops.

She pulled out a needle from her pencil case and started adjusting it, tying off while Mr. Rotter passed out a …

Frankie looked at the board for a clue.

… group quiz.

Everyone was changing seats, she was about to call over a ghoulfriend if only to stave off the

"**Heeey** Frankie~"

Jackson hopped over his lecture hall table setting into the row ahead of him so scoot next to Frankie. The space beside her conveniently vacant. It appeared he still hadn't put his glasses back on, which Frankie considered something of a good look for him, but kind of odd.

But at least he was good at Clawculus, so Frankie couldn't complain much if he wanted to do the quiz together.

"Do you wanna split up the problems or do it together?" she asked looking over the first question.

"Um. Together sounds great." he nodded "I mean it's just like a glorified worksheet right?" he was doodling something in the corner of his page, not looking specifically at her. Kind of fidgety actually.

"Right." she started to get to work. Wondering if she should continue the convo from earlier. Then again, Holt wasn't the only one skipping yesterday.

"Sooo. Where'd you go yesterday?" she asked raising an eyebrow and giving him a good side look for maximum sass and guilt effect.

He blinked tapping his pencil on the desk to a made up beat. "You're going to have to be more specific"

"Home Ick."

"Oh, I got sick."

"And you went to the nurse?" she quickly quipped suspiciously.

"Of course~~" he sang happily.

"Then why did she seem to have trouble finding your file when I took Holt there?" Frankie retorted trying to catch him.

Jackson made this weird choking noise "O-oh? You took uh Holt?" he seemed tongue tied on Holt's name at first. Then cleared his throat.

"Yeah to make sure he was… you were ok. Nurse didn't seem to recognise either of you." she looked at him expectantly.

"Well. that's probably because I didn't go…"

"Jackson!"

"Well! I needed to toss my cookies I didn't have time to go to the nurse." he explained looking uncomfortable.

"Why didn't you go after?" Frankie looked at the clock on her iCoffin then started to try and work on the problem while he thought of an answer.

"Because I wasn't really like. Sick sick." he took awhile to think of an answer. Which made Frankie further suspicious "It was just because of something I … ate" he seemed sort of confused by his answer making a face, no pencil marks on his paper at all. "Sides I don't really remember what happened after… uh."

Frankie was waiting expectantly for more info before she realised what he was about to imply "What happened.. after you blacked out?" she finished with an accusatory tone.

"Well.." he scratched his neck.

"Did you fork that off to Holt?!" she whispered more hushedly as Mr. Rotter was giving them a weird look.

Jackson shrugged not making eye contact.

"I don't like you lying to me… or being… mean." she huffed resting her cheek on a fist and looking at question 1 again.

He muttered something.

"What?"

"I said he does it to me. So it's not mean." he shrugged "It's just the way we are."

Frankie recalled Holt's earlier escape from a less than comfortable moment, Jackson probably wanted to do the same now. Their past two encounters had pretty much been arguments and she was feeling kind of bad about it.

"Hey…" her voice was soft "Sorry.. Let's just work on the quiz?" she offered.

"Oh. Yeah. What'd you get for the first one?" he was looking at her work, also writing. Or well, transcribing her answers onto his own page.

"Undefined, is that right?" she wasn't actually entirely sure herself.

"Well. It." he pulled out his glasses suddenly putting them on dramatically "_Certainly appears to be so._" his voice got extra nasally as he did so and Frankie giggled at his _extra-nerdy_ impression.

"Oh how do I start on the second one?" she asked really unsure as it was a similar problem but she didn't know how to approach the different variable set.

"Uhm. Well just try what you think you should do…" Jackson bit his lip and squinted "Then I'll. See if it's good."

_Ookay? _She did so proceeding on the work. Glancing at his hand that was also working on solving similar questions with his disheveled extra crispy looking pencil. Continuing for about 30 minutes, asking for Jackson's help a few times on what answer he got, but she seemed to be doing good if all her problems matched his.

Even if he seemed to be working at a normal pace instead of super speed math. Maybe he was struggling with this section too, he did ask for her notes yesterday…

As they wrapped up the last question she realised they still had a bit of time "So uh. You're not sick anymore?"

He grinned "Fine as a stein~"

"Aaand you haven't been feeling… dizzy?"

"More of a head rush thing..."

"Nauseated"

"Not since yesterday."

"Headaches?"

"Just from Holt~"

"Blackouts?"

"Always."

"Memory loss?"

He gave her this look.

"More so than usual?" she had just run through all the concussion symptoms she looked up after the nurse's visit and he seemed to match all of them but then again he may have always experienced all of them.

"Frankie." he looked at her "There wasn't a time I wasn't getting blackouts, headaches, with memory loss and head rushes. My freaky flaw is in my brain remember?"

"Yeah I know…" she pouted "I just get really worried about my friends sometimes. You were acting so weird yesterday…"

He shrugged "Everyone has bad days~" Then kicked back resting his knees against the table as he laid against their seat backing.

"Both of you." she looked at him weirdly again. Something was off she just couldn't place it. Like a haircut or something.

"Guess you'd have to ask both of us then." then looked at their paper sitting up slightly excitedly "Oh hey are we done with this?"

"Yeah, if you're gonna take ours up to the front can you add my homework to the pile."

"Yup yup." he started gathering things up before Frankie sparked.

"Oh! Hey can I see your homework to see what you got on that too?"

Jackson stiffened up. "Uhm. Sure, sure… what'd it look like?" he cocked his head pulling out his bag.

Frankie knit her brow, sliding over her work "Like this…" back to suspicion. Watching as he pulled out 5 different folders, peeking in them before he put them away in his bag, finding the math one last.

"**Wow**… I'm certainly… _organized_." he looked through the papers slowly.

Frankie wasn't sure what to say, but he finally realised that the top most page of his folder was the homework and pulled it out comparing it to hers. Noting it lacked as many pages.

"Looks good." he answered casually "You done?"

She nodded as he took the papers to the front.

Something was definitely still off she just couldn't figure out what.

He could still be sick.

Or up to something.

He was always something of a mystery since she met him the first time… both times rather.

Why there was a normie at Monster High? And who the blue monster was at Cleo's party? Two questions that led her to her first few dates.

Feeling weirdly nostalgic, she was too lost in thoughts to realise everyone else in the class were packing up their supplies, so the bell caught her off guard.

Giving Jackson a zap in surprise as he happened to be returning just then.

"Sorry…!" she squeaked.

He grimaced, a forced smile through what was sure to be pain "Aw you know I like how electrifying you can be~!" he smirked at her before hurrying off himself.

Her face felt hot, unsure if it was embarrassment or recalling the past feelings. Slow to pack up her notebook and thread she left on her desk, Frankie was the last to leave class. Looking at her stitch spacing again she must not have realised a peer was in the doorway because she hit him firmly. Stumbling back.

Nope. She was vigilant enough and she still ran into an invisible wall.

Or an invisible stude-

"Hey Frankie." she heard nervously. White blue hands appearing.

Frankie smiled politely "Not quite there InvisiBilly."

"Ehhn.." he sounded frustrated.

White blue hands and arms appearing. "Uhh well you know I'm here, so how much you can see is beside the point."

A phantom hand guided her to the hallway and sort of gave her a push and a tug as he began walking beside her. She didn't mind the fact that he was touching her shoulder as it seemed his way of making sure she knew where he was. Dodging students in the hall that didn't seem to realise she had an attached trailer.

She didn't know InvisiBilly that well, mostly through Scarah, she wondered if this was about girl advice "Something up with you and Scarah?"

"No we're great but Jackson's in your class right?" he asked. She couldn't see an expression but he sounded weirdly anxious.

"Yeah just that last class why." she looked over to see something of a ghost, looking worried.

"Oh about time…" he looked down at himself, fully visifying "Yeah but. Not to sound too weird but, has he been acting strange lately?"

Frankie looked around "Define strange at this school?"

"Point taken. Just you know him pretty well right?" InvisiBilly was at full opacity now mostly focusing on that. "Didn't you used to date? Ow!" he let go of her as she sparked at that question.

Rubbing his hand and looking at her kind of annoyed as he faded again.

A loud sigh.

Frankie pulled him in front of her to avoid clashing with a gargoyle quarterback. Pushing him down the hall to chaperone him, feeling responsible for his hallway troubles. "Yes we used to date." she sort of winced out "Your point being?"

"I'm not the only one noticing it right?"

Frankie thought back to how she felt in Clawculus.

"I mean I don't want to overanalyze students but we're like friend-quaintances and I'm getting weird vibes off him."

Frankie's vision was darkening as she realised InvisiBilly was regaining focus and let go walking beside him again. She fixed her hair "It's not just you… Do you know what's wrong?"

"Well unless it's invasion of the pod people I don't." then frowned "Am I being crazy?"

"No…" Frankie didn't know her invisible classmate very well "Well. Maybe. Maybe we're both being crazy. He's kind of a weird guy in general you know?"

"Looot of issues yeah…" InvisiBilly shifted his books in his arms "You have Scarah's number right?"

"Yeah I do, why?" she looked at him innocently.

"There's just. A lot of weird stuff that can happen here you know? Mixed school and all. Mind control, shapeshifters, potential evil forces of doom…"

Frankie raised an eyebrow.

"Ok kidding about the last one.. mostly. But.. I'm sure it's nothing. And I'm just being a giant snoop. Which I can't help.. ok? I'm an invisible I'm used to observing." he started backing down one hallway that Frankie realised was the opposite direction of her class so she stopped while he still sort of faded off "Text Scarah if… I don't know something happens? It's bugging me ok?" he seemed to keep making excuses for himself "I'm probably just being invasive but sometimes when there's a mystery to be solved I gotta keep an eye on it."

"No I understand what you mean…" but her concern was more of a motherly way. Or a nurse and her potential patient.

Biting her lip, "Hey wait InvisiBilly."

"Yeah?" he stopped for her.

"Have you ever seen Holt wear Jackson's glasses?"

A few seconds of thought.

"I don't know him well enough." he shrugged "Ask Heath."

Frankie probably was just being crazy "I'll ask Scarah for your number." she shrugged smiling as the warning bell rang.

"K thanks! Bye!" he smiled at her looking awkward as he jogged to his next class.

But she wasn't the only crazy one…

This was something she should defs talk to her ghoulfriends about. They had more unlife experience.

They'd know if something was wrong, or she was just being over analytical.

Because something was there she just couldn't put her finger on it… yet.


	18. Guillotine

Jackson's schedule was weirdly hard to memorize…

Holt stood in the middle of a cross section of the hallway trying to remember yesterday.

Wet catacombs… Frankie…Wait Jackson took him to class yesterday as a minotaur repellant precaution. But there was no one, not even a bully in the halls… this late into passing period.

Wait had that been the warning bell or the final bell?

Where was he going…

Ghoulia… literary elements. That was English for sure.

He knew where the English hall was! The other side of the school…

Adjusting his bag he speed walked there, only because it seemed like a class where the teacher might actually call him out for stuff. Meaning probably someone who cared about tardiness.

**Buuut **Holt didn't care enough to flat out run there. Though it was nice to stretch his legs after an, **entire. hour. of. math.** At least he had a good view last period. Thinking about what he could say to Frankie when they had class together again.

They seemed to be hitting it off well today. He "helped" her with her work, she laughed at his impression of how much of a nerd Jackson was. Made her feel good about her tendency to shock anyone within 2 feet of her.

He wondered if she was going to Cleo's party…

Stopping as he realised his thoughts about Frankie had landed him at the Home Ick classroom.

English was close, so wasn't that bad of a detour.

Backtracking a bit before heading off to the right class. Or the right hall.

Waiting for his brain to recall the right door.

If Jackson knew then he knew, in a way.

He waited some more looking at all the doors, and realising that was most definitely the final bell he had heard earlier.

More waiting for his brain to kick in.

Huh…

Maybe it was one of those things where he had to not be thinking about it.

Or maybe if all the doors weren't identical.

All the same, frosted glass windows he couldn't see through, spiderweb transom windows, no one entering or leaving…

No use in staring.

Grabbing a random door and pulling. It locked.

He tried knocking.

No reply.

They'd better not all be like this.

Going to a more occupied looking classroom.

He couldn't really tell the difference.

He just felt lucky.

Opening the door maybe with a little too much force after a locked one.

There was chatter but it stopped when he opened it all eyes on him.

He heard someone mutter something.

Asking if he was in the class.

If a normie from New Salem was lost.

An unknown voice knew his name at least recognising him. Rather Jackson's.

The antlered middle aged teacher looked at him with three eyes. "Can I help you?"

"Uhhh. Nope!" he smiled closing the door and backing off of that one. Good thing he wasn't so big on the whole social anxiety thing like Jackson was.

Shuffling along he'd have thought his memory would have been jogged at this point. Starting on door number 3. Barely creaking it open this time before it burst open on it's own.

He fell back and only caught a glance of black flailing suckers, before a tentacle hooked around his ankle. He kicked it off and scrambled to shove it back in and close the door.

Well geez if that wasn't it, where was this class…? Standing up peeved as he heard the tentacle cause a ruckus in that room. Slamming against the door. He knew those things tended to thirst for nerds.

Backing off to be on the safe side.

The next one he opened even slower, incase another arm or tentacle cousin was also in here. Peeking in, just a normal class. Squinting to see if one of the zombie girls was Ghoulia he creaked open the door more. And realised the instructor was looking right at him.

"Um." he opened it a bit more smiling innocently.

"Jackson Jekyll, it's 7 months into the school year how many times do I have to tell you your class is 117 not 111." the elephant looking woman sighed rubbing a temple.

"Ohh. It is? Thanks~!" Holt grinned shutting the door with enough information to finally get to English. He made it less than 10 steps before he realised he had already forgotten what the teacher said.

Turning back around to open again.

"117." she repeated flatly.

"Thank youu~~" he winked and closed the door again heading off to the correct class. Trying not to think too hard that Jackson got lost too. Well they did have memory problems…

He figured if he could suddenly remember things, maybe they were stolen from another part of the brain. Or something like that.

Slowly entering 117.

The teacher immediately looked at him. As did Rochelle standing at his desk with an important air about her.

Donning a shiny hall monitor badge and sash...

"Oh you aren't absent." his English teacher looked mildly worried.

Rochelle folded her arms and flexed her wings. He'd seen that look before. Actually he'd been in this situation before a few times. Whenever Rochelle came to class in that sash it was **not **a good thing.

"I'll mark you as excused, read the next two chapters." Holt was handed a couple of papers, worksheets for the book, as Rochelle stared him down.

"What's happening?" Holt asked playing innocent.

"I am here to escort you to the Headmistress's Office." Rochelle spoke up with a heavy french accent. "Please step this way" she started towards the door.

Holt stuffed the papers into his bag without a folder and trotted after looking back at the class he finally found. It didn't seem fair that he had to leave as soon as he arrived.

"You were awfully late for that class, no?" Rochelle turned her head back to look at him as she led him down the hallways.

"I got lost." Holt explained. Though an edge of sarcasm in his voice suggested he was lying.

"Are you new to this school?" she asked squinting as if trying to remember how long he'd been here. "I think not. I have seen the other you in Swimming for 7 months and 2 weeks, Mr. Jekyll."

Holt scrunched up his face. How dare she sass him like an authority figure.

Then again she kind of was…

He squeezed his bag straps thinking about where they were going. Never wanting his music more. If he had his music he could kind of sink back into it and try not to think about what was going on but.

He bit his lip.

If this was about what he thought it was about, then he could be in some deep trouble. Well both of them rather. Wondering if everything was about to come clean he could be excused from all this. Blame it all on Jackson.

But….

He'd been in Bloodgood's office before, she didn't usually split things the way their mom did.

"Were you attempting to skip again Jackson Jekyll?" she asked as they approached the final hallway, her heels clacking a bit louder than the other ghouls.

"Again?" how would she know about Home Ick. "Hey wait why would I show up to English if I was trying to skip it?"

"Like in Swim Class yesterday, no?" she spread out her wings more looking at him like she was afraid he'd take off running. Which she had every reason to be concerned.

Holt'd had this walk before and he wasn't exactly always keen to go straight to the principal's office. Getting tackled by a gargoyle was **not **something he wanted to experience again. Especially one in skulltimate roller maze.

Then he connected the dots, Jackson had swim class yesterday, he wasn't 100% sure what happened between Mad Science and recording with Operetta but apparently he skipped at some point.

Lagoona never cared if he disappeared for the later part of class, but he knew one sink prone gargoyle who would care.

"**Oooh you rat.**" Holt's head sunk "That wasn't even me."

"All I know is Frankie left class with you and returned without." Rochelle refused to look at him. "I am bound to my duty to this school."

They arrived at the door to Headless Headmistress Bloodgood's office.

"The Headmistress will see you now. I hope that is the only thing on your list of crimes." she told him standing outside the room like a guard. As he cautiously entered.

The whole room had something of a dark atmosphere. Darker than the rest of the school. Her windows were tinted glass and didn't allow in much light. The wallpaper was dark, the floor was dark, still in appropriate pinkish maroon school colors. And the entire office smelled of alfalfa.

"Take a seat Jackson."

Holt looked at a sleeping blue mare in the corner, before looking up to the Headmistress silhouetting at her windows. She held her head by her waist side looking out over the courtyard before reconnecting it to her body. Adjusting her neck rotation, as Holt took a seat at the slightly uncomfortable standard office armchair.

Waiting for her to address his crimes, he never spoke first, or he could end up admitting he'd done something he hadn't got caught for.

Staring at her large mahogany desk.

It wasn't super organized, but it wasn't exactly messy either, stacks of paper and folders laid out. He saw his in the center, a sort of thick manilla folder with Jackson's name on it, probably looked worse than it actually was, they moved around a lot.. maybe that info was taking up all that bulk.

Not wanting to dwell on his permanent record, he poked curiously at the tiny novelty guillotine she had decorated her desk space with.

Cute.

"Do you know why you're here?" her voice almost seemed to boom in the quiet room. She turned around to face him ominously.

Holt was never sure how, but she seemed to be more menacing with her head on.

Maybe it was the added height.

Or the monster's learned aversion to normies.

Or possibly just because a talking separate head seemed funny somehow…

"Jackson." she snapped interrupting his thoughts.

He made a face shrugging, not wanting to admit anything she might not know.

But he had a feeling she knew.

Jackson could be sloppy and he was the mastermind behind all this.

Should have let him steal the chemicals… if he knew what to look for that was…

"Here at Monster High…"

Oh ghoul, she was starting the speech.

"... We pride ourselves in excellence, understanding, and the pursuit of knowledge."

Holt couldn't' help himself "Don't you mean _hexellence?_"

She stared at him like he'd just said something offensive. Then again forcing in monster slang from a normie's tongue may have come across that way. _But that was kind of what he was going for. _

Maybe she was just surprised at "Jackson" sassing her instead of Mr. Hyde.

She continued "Our school offers sanctuary for some unique monsters that can't find a place at vampire academies, or human public schools. But remember when I say sanctuary that does not mean: excused from less than favorable actions."

Holt didn't like the way that sounded. Pushing his feet into her carpet he kept looking at her little guillotine, mostly just not wanting to make eye contact.

"I try my best to understand every student's situation." she still hadn't sat down "For example if a pyrokinetic student continues to cause fire damage to school property, it's more understandable to make him simply replace the lost property rather than continue to punish him."

Holt's heartbeat picked up at her reference to "lost property".

"So when a student's issue is…" she squinted, perhaps unsure if she should have used the word issue "...Dual personality. I do keep in mind your family history, and school history."

She sat down "I understand you aren't exactly the uhm…" struggling "Same person. Holt does seem to be distinctly different than a usual MPD.. "

Holt wondered if she had to take some sort of seminar on political correctness or this was something she'd learned from talking to other monster teenagers after all these years.

He'd been called worse though, he was used to it.

"But while you don't have control over the others actions, you still need to take responsibility for each other." she affirmed "Yesterday I received some alarming information from several of your teachers. Namely Mr. Hackington…"

Holt's eyes widened. Mr. Hack, plus long speech about responsibility …

**She knew didn't she. **

He wondered if it was going to be monster juvie or expelling. Actually hoping for monster juvie, he could probably hold his own there, and it was better than getting shut out again while Jackson went to normie school.

"He's missing some equipment."

**This was it. **

"Namely a beaker, damaged bunsen burner. As well as disrupting class in general. Endangering other students, and causing an explosion."

Wait was that it?

If that was it, this was easy.

"I think that was that pyrokinetic student you mentioned before." he smiled lightly.

"Your classmates say otherwise."

"Like multiple or just Heath?" not to throw his cousin under the bus but, his record could handle another caught-something-on fire mark.

"I'd prefer if we kept names out of it, but you were involved in the experiment. It was unclear which personality was present at the time, but it was you specifically, correct, Jackson?"

He didn't admit anything.

"Even if you didn't start it, you were his partner, and like you're Holt's permanent partner you and Heath share responsibility over that." she affirmed.

"Alright, do I have to like, pay for it or something?" Holt rolled his eyes.

"Well that's not all." she opened up his file, seemed to be a new page.

He stiffened up, recalculating, maybe it wasn't over yet.

"It appears you had a rather troubling day yesterday, which is why this is more of an office visit than just informing you of detention." she held up the sheet reading it off. Holt could vaguely make out marks that noted what form he was in for clarification.

"You've been consecutively tardy to your first class of the day, for weeks now, beside misuse of lab equipment it appears you've caused quite the mess in the Music room and never attempted to clean it up. Most concerning was you were skipping not just one class yesterday, Mr. Jekyll but two. Claiming you went to a nurse visit when you did not show to sign in, and never returning to class after a second nurse visit." Holt felt like she sounded too alarmed by this.

**Stupid Rochelle. **

"Not to mention suspected academic dishonesty." she squinted menacingly "Which I will not have at my school. "That is however under more investigation."

"Yeah but which ones were really _me?_ With all due respect." Holt sighed.

Bloodgood set the paper down "As much as you would like to evade responsibility, Jackson. Whatever Holt does you will hear about and vice versa. Speaking of, I would like to speak to him about this same conversation. As well as inform him that you collectively have two sessions of detention next week with Mr. Hackington. I don't care who shows up, as long as you're there."

Crap.

It was nice that she didn't know he was stealing drugs… rather science chemicals, but he knew how to handle office visits better. Jackson might spill the beans if he didn't know to keep his mouth shut.

"How about I just tell him?" Holt piped up trying not to sound nervous. "I mean uh I'm in so much trouble for skipping as it is, wouldn't it be better to catch what's left of class? You already gave me all the information."

"Unfortunately procedure requires me to tell him too." Bloodgood seemed to be onto him hiding something by avoiding transformation.

Since when was it procedure to tell him something twice if he was legally the same person?

"I must insist you hand it over to Holt." she put her hand on an old timey looking radio. Already turning it on to adjust off of classical. Though low volume.

Holt put his hand on the radio to her surprise, tugging it away from her "Yeah but." oh ghoul excuses "Half this trouble is because of him." yeah blame the evil twin "Don't want him screwing up anything more."

"Jackson!" she seemed offended he was physically trying to stop her.

"Uhhhm. It hurts?! Yeah transforming can really hurt sometimes" he blurted nervously.

"We don't have time for this." if anything she was doing this more on principle by now "Sit down." she told him firmly finding an appropriate station and starting to turn up the volume, holding his hand away.

The volume was going up and he wasn't sure what to do. The sweat of pretransforming reaching his neck. "Really Bloodgood I can just tell him laterrgn." he cringed as it reached peak volume. Resisting.

He knew this song. The beat pounding through his bones, he couldn't help but sit as she said.

Curling up a little as he grabbed the chair's arms.

Getting so hot.

Pins and needles poked at his hands, and arms.

Like the awful rush of blood coming back after a limb fell asleep.

Millions of fireants over his body.

He wasn't lying it was going to hurt.

This time.

He grunted, unable to think of Bloodgood. Or what she was seeing of him.

Thoughts racing and trying desperately on focusing on staying himself.

Being him.

Before he went up in flames.

* * *

><p>Whiteness. He couldn't see anything.<p>

Then the dark maroon room flooded into his vision with a heavy headrush.

"Oww…" he squinted rubbing his head.

"Are you… alright?" her voice accented and concerned and deep.

He nodded, fending off a headache.

Before he recognised that voice and fear came flooding in.

_Why was he in Bloodgood's presence?! Crap. _

_Crap. _

_Crap crap crap. _

_This could only be bad. _

She must have noticed he was rattled because she was silent and had her hands folded at her desk. Waiting patiently for him to get his bearings. Then pulled something out of her desk and handed it to him. One of those little stubby water bottles.

"Oh uhm. Thanks?" he struggled unscrewing it then sipped it looking at her cautiously.

"Well." she skipped her speech "Holt Hyde do you know why you're here?"

Jackson's pounding stressed out heart slowed and he looked at her. She called him Holt.

Ok if she did know anything…. it wasn't what the potion did.

He had to be in here for the chemical stealing though.

What else could there be?

"I… think I might?" he tried not to squeak too much. But maybe his uncomfortable entrance would cut him some slack on the whole, constantly confidant Holt, thing. "Does it involve Mad Science…?"

"Mr. Hack's equipment, yes." she began "You exploded a beaker and nearly took out half the classroom with it." she started firmly.

"Wait I did?" Jackson didn't remember that. Though his mom mentioned something about unburnt clothes.

Bloodgood scanned him "If you were unaware of… well I suppose it **was **Jackson after all." she got out the white out, marking something on a file in front of her. "Of the incident, what else did you think you would be in trouble for?"

She didn't know?

He felt like a gargoyle had been lifted from his chest.

Breathing much easier now.

He was not good at improvising. Last time he was caught in a lie he'd had the whole night to think of things to say to that officer…

"_Uhhh._" he put on his best pokerface.

He really didn't have a good pokerface. "Well. I honestly don't know ma'am."

Bloodgood blinked slowly then raised an eyebrow "Uh huh. Go on."

"Well you know. My brain is kind of. **Whack.** Sometimes we just get random bits of information from the other side." he shrugged "It just came to mind. Guess Jackson knew." he smiled hoping she'd take it.

"If you say so Mr. Hyde." then pulled out a skull shaped post it from a mini guillotine on her desk, writing something in cursive he couldn't make out. "You know if you are hiding any crimes, I could go a lot easier on you if you were upfront about it."

His heart pounded. There was a chance he couldn't hide this forever.

Tempting but not _that _tempting. If she didn't know.

He still had a chance.

"Yeah but. That's it. All I know." then squinted looking for the music source, a radio. What station was this on…?

"And the skipping." she looked over her list again, sliding her finger on certain topics.

"Ohh…" he actually did feel a little guilty for those "I'm sorry it was a sick thing. I came to in the bathroom with stomach cramps and couldn't make it to the nurse."

"Swim class as well?"

Oh no that was just him avoiding Frankie. But he was in the nurse and didn't come back to class. Lagoona seemed so chill about that kind of thing too.

"I forgot something in my locker, and by the time I made it back to class it was over." he told her straight faced, that one sounding like a far more convincing lie.

She was writing stuff down, maybe he could get out of further punishment if she believed him.

"While it is nice to hear reasons, you still have to take responsibility. I told Jackson the same thing, two days of detention with Mr. Hackington, starting next week, I don't care who shows up, just that you attend. Are we clear?"

Mann. "Yes Ma'am…" he pouted, not too bad considering his real crimes. She was still writing stuff "So, is that it? Am I free to go?"

"Not this." she pulled out a form.

"What is it?" he asked starting to skim it.

"School parking ticket. Your car was illegally parked in 3 spaces yesterday. Just see to that when you can. There's a fine for the beaker on there too."

Aw man.. they were really going to need that gig tomorrow then.

_Holt was not allowed to touch the car ever again. _

He pulled out a folder from his bag and placed the ticket neatly inside, sliding it back in he heard the rustle of an unfoldered paper in there.

"But that's it then?" he asked again. Nightmare whinnied waking up as the bell ringing for the end of the period was heard in the room too.

"That's it." she put her hand on the radio and Jackson hurriedly turned on his replacement music to supply his existence. The whole music bubble thing was the most anxious part of this experiment gone wrong. "Hurry along now, wouldn't want to be tardy again."

He was more than happy to leave, exiting and seeing Rochelle standing outside the room.

"Oh hey Rochelle." he greeted her friendly.

She folded her wings "Hello Holt." then seemed mildly confused "You are not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

She smiled "Ah, no reason. Do not forget, dress out day in Swimming!" then removed her hall monitor sash and placed it in her bag, going to attend her own classes.

Right. Next class.

Jackson smiled, feeling overly confident he escaped Bloodgood's office without being expelled.

Frankie was in next class too.

He hoped she wasn't still mad at him.


	19. Thick Skull

He had to be honest.

Holt wasn't always sure why he was out.

He usually just rolled with it, looking for the situational cues.

Frankie was looking at him.

He was in Home Ick.

She looked kind of ticked off at him too.

"Hey Frankie what's-"

"I don't really wanna talk to you right now." she looked away from him.

Holt's heart sunk, _what did Jackson do? _

At least they were still lab partners and he wasn't expelled or on his way to another school… or city… or correctional institution.

Everyone was still talking, teacher was grabbing some male students for help assist with the lesson, he guessed class hadn't really begun yet.

His list of crimes was still fresh on his brain. Recalling something Rochelle had pointed out. "Is this about Holt skipping swim?" he knew Frankie could get upset whenever they got in trouble.

"Yes. Well, no. More like, he's avoiding me or something. Every time I try to talk he uh.. well you know"

"Passes the baton.. Right." he rested his face on his fist looking at Frankie scribble lightning bolts on the counter "You know um. Holt's not that bad of a guy he's just probably too scared to mess up around you."

"Do I need new ears or did I just hear you say Holt's not that bad of a guy?" she looked at him mildly amused.

Holt smiled, considering, he could always compliment himself in Jackson's body and make himself look good… "Well he's not. I mean he clearly still likes you."

Frankie smiled biting her lip "Oh… just him?"

"Well~" Holt was interrupted by Kindergrubber starting class by ringing a cow bell, then setting it next to… a cow's head.

At the front of the class she had lined up several farm animal heads goat, sheep, cow, pig..

Just their heads.

"Hello class, today we will be learning how to appropriately cook a zombie favorite and normie accessible meal: brains." she smiled warmly.

Frankie nudged Holt hard in the ribs "Hey you can eat it too" she whispered excitedly.

"Oh… boy!" he grimaced back.

"While classically served similar to eggs due to it's soft texture there are a variety of creative and innovative ways to prepare it. Though I hear it's fine raw for our gray classmates out there, other monsters tend to want a bit more seasoning. I have several instructions up here for those of you who want to fry, bake or mix it up a bit. But feel free to go offroad" she winked sweetly at Deuce "As usual the tastier, the better grade. But you'll do fine as long as you try your very best! Have at it." she stepped back as everyone started scrambling for a good station placement, preferred head and fighting over sharpest cleaver.

"Oh I have an idea." Frankie started standing up "I'll grab a knife and an oven, go grab the head" she sparked excitedly running off to find additional ingredients from the school's stores.

Holt knew exactly which one he wanted, bigger was better after all. Going over to squeeze between two werewolves growling over a sheep head, and lugging his prize back to a corner Frankie was setting up in.

He thud his bull head on the table proudly "Hey Frankie it kinda looks like Manny right?" he smiled a bit too much.

Because she made this really worried concerned face back.

Holt continued opening it's mouth like a puppet "Heeey, I'm on the casket ball team and always make foulsss" he made a bad impersonation. Until Frankie swatted him on the hand with a wooden spoon.

"It's not nice to make fun of other students. Especially when we're about to cut that thing open." she scolded.

Holt rolled his eyes since that was the point.

"Speaking of, if you hold it steady I'll-" she grabbed the cleaver.

"Naw I got it." he smiled taking the cleaver from her hand about to start hacking.

Frankie rested a hand on his wrist "Since when did you get over your squeamishness?" she asked weirdly.

"If a guy can't show a girl he can hack up a body, what good is that guy?" Holt answered her question with a question.

Frankie mulled this over thinking of her own future "Well that's true but you got grossed out when we made cookies."

"Oh my ghoul, what?" Holt resisted laughing "Er I mean. Just let me handle this~ Gotta show you I can find you replacement eyes if your's go bad." he winked at her.

Then held the cleaver up above his head and slammed it down on the forehead of the beast.

It squirted blood everywhere.

He hadn't thought that far ahead.

His stomach rose to his throat. "Oh it's all.. _juicy._"

"Aww your shirt.." Frankie hissed through her teeth looking at his blood splattered yellow shirt.

Just his shirt though, he'd taken off the burnt sweater vest during math when he realised he was still wearing it. She scurried off to fetch him a black apron while Holt rubbed blood off his cheek.

He wasn't squeamish but chopping into it was letting out the weird smell.

He blotted at the shirt but well, it was blood so not coming out. Plus it wasn't really **his** shirt so he didn't give a crap.

Frankie draped the apron on him, wearing her own now too, and goggles "I think you just got through the skin."

"And like the meaty junk too" he added nudging the flesh around. Tying his apron behind him. He had glasses on so figured those counted as goggles. Raising the cleaver again and bringing it down as hard as he could. Just to be met with a hard knocking sound again. Less blood that time.

"You're trying to get through the skull right?" Frankie asked with a nervous giggle.

"Yeah just gotta chop" Holt insisted.

"I don't know, it's bone, maybe we should find a saw…"

"No I got it" his statement about chopping through bodies for potential girlfriends ringing through his mind. Really only applicable for one ghoul after all.

Hitting it again.

Then a few more times frustratedly.

Taking a breath glaring at it.

**Once more…**

He just had to pretend it was someone or something he **really** didn't like.

Like this situation.

Or yesterday morning in the locker.

Raising the cleaver above his head and bringing it down hard one more time.

Thwok.

"Ehhh" Frankie started looking at the small dents he was making.

"Oh my ghoul do I have to help _everyone _in this classroom?" a sassy voice butt into their corner. Holt looking to see Clawdeen rolling her eyes. "First off. If you'd read the paper. You'd see you're supposed to cut off the face first _obviously"_

She slid between them grabbing at Holt's cuts and digging her claws in to tear apart it's face. Slipping a sliver off to chew on. Scraping some of the fat off too.

"Here see you can pop the eyeballs out now? Were you using them in your uh… what are ya'll making?"

"Muffins!" Frankie started excitedly.

"Oh that sounds good! you can probably blend some of the face meat in there too…" she seemed to salivate after swallowing.

Holt made a disgusted noise, meaty muffins not sounding too hot even to his monster tastes.

"Well sorry it's not bran muffins Mr. Calculator" Clawdeen rolled her eyes "Got something against meated pastries?"

"Oh that reminds me I forgot the eggs" Frankie sat up and ran off to the class fridge.

Holt scraped off some fat with the cleaver "I got something against werewolves coming over here to beg for treats" he piped back, not super happy she was here to show him up. Wanting to prove to Frankie he could butcher it himself.

"Oh you little…" she growled grabbing his cleaver out of his hand.

Holt stiffened up, as she slammed it down on their skull cracking it open.

"**You're. Welcome.**" her ears down flat "Listen" she flitted slanted eyes at Frankie still across the room "If it wasn't because my best ghoul was kinda into you for some reason. I would not normally let that one slide."

Holt blinked "She's still into me?" he asked her.

Clawdeen rolled her eyes and huffed, going back to her own station without another word on the matter.

He smiled innocently while Frankie returned with some eggs "Oh where'd Clawdeen go?"

"Well she has her own thing to make." Holt shrugged. Then wedged open the skull excitedly exposing the brain "Who's up for some brain muffins?~"

"Oh my gosh, yaaay~" Frankie piped up excitedly "You harvest that I'll get started on the batter." she preheated the oven while her hands were clean, getting to work while Holt struggled to pull apart the skull further.

Squeezing out handfuls of brain into a bowl. Since it kind of fell apart if he grabbed it hard enough.

"I'm so proud of you~" Frankie beamed mixing her muffin batter in a bowl.

"Oh?" he smiled back looking at her pretty dual colored eyes.

"You're like for sure over your squeamishness? I mean, a normie like you sticking your hand in a cow's head gettin' out the brains for our project~" she nudged him with her elbow "You'll make a regular mad scientist yet~!"

He smirked "So mad scientist, huh?"

"Well.. I don't know what you really wanna do but it seems fitting." she reached into a cabinet above their station pulling out a muffin pan. "Your mom's a doctor right?"

"Yup, Dr. Jekyll…" this brain scooping was tedious, he wasn't sure how big the cavity was after all "So… I mean. Do you think it'd make more sense to like… do that later?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently "We could go to the same uni if you're interested in that. Doesn't that sound great?"

"Yeah but… I mean… if like say Holt wanted to be… a rock star.. do you think that holding off on a science career till later would make more sense?" he asked trying to word it like Jackson might. But he really doubted Jackson thought about this sort of thing.

"Oh." she stopped stirring, then went to stirring faster than before "I hadn't really thought about that. I guess kind of. But… I mean if you became a mad scientist first, maybe you could figure out a way to…" she motioned at them with the spoon getting a bit of batter on his apron "I don't know? Fix things early on and not have to worry about it."

He shrugged "I mean. That makes sense I guess." he lied stiffly "But no one's ever been able to… fix it in my family so far…"

"I guess. I could see you doing both at once!" she suggested "Doctor Jekyll by day, Holt Hyde guitarist and DJ by… well I suppose that'd be more of a weekend thing..."

"Yeah I probably shouldn't think about it too much." he scooped out the last of the brain "I mean monster school, everyone's got different life spans and stuff here. I guess we should just take a lesson from that and live in the moment!"

Frankie gave him that weird look again. Holt bit his tongue too much of his personality showing through.

"So uh did you wanna use the face meat for anything?" he asked.

"Actually not really" she whispered glancing at Clawdeen "I think it'll throw off the flavor. Too savory not sweet and brainy. It'd take too long to cook against the batter too." she added. Then dumped his bowl of brain into her mixture, mixing the chunks up to blend it better. Then started pouring it into muffin papers.

Holt took it as his cue to clean up, sliding the leftovers into a bucket, looking around to see what everyone else was doing with their meat. There seemed to be a barrel at the front of the class for gut dumping.

Hauling it up there, skull and all, noting not everyone had leftovers, Clawdeen looking at him while she chewed on a sheep horn. Standing next to Cleo actually. Both giving him this look. Till they realised he was staring at them back, then went back to gossiping or whatever it was ghouls talked about under their breath.

Dumping it in the drum at the front of class, probably going to feed some sort of non-student-creature in the school… or become next week's lesson.

Frankie was wiping up the counter when he returned, trying not to seem too out of breath from how heavy a bull's head could be. An oven timer set, the muffins were missing so he guessed they were baking.

"Well that was… fun" he started to wash his hands in the sink while Frankie scraped flour in.

"Haha yeah it was certainly some-OOPS!" Holt heard a soft thud in the sink, and Frankie started reaching after her right hand that had slid into the sink, still gently clutching a napkin.

"I'm so sorry!" she gushed. As Holt smiled and grabbed it for her.

Rinsing the blood and guts off of it, taking an awkward amount of time to actually dry it off too before handing it back to her. Closest he could get to holding her hand these days.

She popped it back onto her arm blushing "That always happens around this time sorry… At least it's not in the eye-scream this time huh?" she laughed nervously. Recounting a memory Holt hadn't shared with her.

"Won't it just fall off again like that?" he asked. Then clicked his tongue at her "I've already proven to you I can sew it if you want~"

She put her head down clearly sort of embarrassed "No it's fine.. it's too much of a hassle. Hey! Jacksonnn" she didn't stop him as he ran off to their counter to grab her pencil pouch and return to their cooking station. Getting out her giant darning needle.

He pointed at the counter as Frankie sighed and rested her bad arm on it. Holt pulled out the cord that held her together from the bits it remained in her skin. Rethreading and carefully resewing her together, trying to use the same holes she had before in her flesh, taking his time as they were still waiting for the muffins.

"Thanks so much…" Frankie practically pouted.

"Thanks _sew_ much?~" Holt parroted.

She softly laughed, well more of a quiet snort.

"Don't mention it" he shrugged, hoping his boyfriend skills were becoming apparent to Frankie in particular today. Sewing… cutting up bodies… thinking back to self compliments "I mean half the reason I'm in Home Ick is because Holt thought it'd be a good idea to get some sewing skills incase you needed someone around for that…"

"What really?" she asked.

Holt hoped that didn't come off as too creepy until she admitted to what she was more confused about.

"You listen to his ideas?" Frankie pressed.

Though seemed… hopeful looking.

_Until you two get your act together there's no room for me!_

Holt blinked finally understanding her break up speech.

He just needed to prove he was getting along with Jackson. Which he wasn't. Because Jackson was a **tool** and a giant **dork.**

Frankie didn't need to know that though.

'Sides it was making his **real **image look good.

He held her hand steady "Well, yeah. I mean otherwise we'd just tear ourselves apart." which was oddly what had resulted in this mess.. "No offense."

Her occupied hand half grabbed around his. "None taken."

"Holt can be um. Pretty smart. Way smarter than most monsters give him credit for." he complimented himself matter of factly "So can _really _have the best ideas sometimes. Like this weekend actually. He and I were wondering." just make it sound like it was a group idea. "If you were available~?"

"For a date?" she asked slowly.

"You know if you were interested in maybe pressing play?" he jerked as her arm conductively zapped him. Frankie fixed her hair, sparking nervously.

"I might be…"

"**Alright!**" he pumped a fist in the air. Then stopped, trying to retrain Jacksoness. "I mean. Yeah…" he smiled blushing. Still there, in the moment. No running or dancing to celebrate just quiet time.

Quiet time could be nice he guessed.

But wasn't as fun as taking her on a quick dance down the halls to celebrate a second chance.

Swallowing as he tried to keep still.

Weirdly hard.

He flipped her hand over still sewing slowly not wanting to damage her skin too much "So like, not Cleo's party right?"

"No, I'll be with the ghouls all night anyway" she seemed giggly but couldn't leave the stituation, Holt having her all tied up at the moment.

"Sunday ok?" he asked slowly, knowing for sure there wasn't anything going on then.

"Sunday doing what?" her fingers flexed and closed on the table.

"I don't know. I was thinking like monster truck rally or maybe hit up this one uh" wait no that was a place that had local bands play a lot "amusement park." Jackson's car was his now, he could take them anywhere.

"How about a picnic…?" Frankie suggested meekly.

Holt looked up at her. Blushing, biting her lip, a tiny bit of brain on her apron. He swallowed pulling the thread tight. "Picnic sounds **voltageous**!" he beamed back using her catchphrase.

He got a date with Frankie.

He got a date again with **the most** electrifying ghoul in school.

"I'll bring a casket for two~" he started knotting.

"We could pack it together, maybe go shopping before hand" she shrugged.

"Anything for you Frankie Ffff…" **ine**. Did Jackson say that? Was that a _him _thing? "Frankie~"

Then looked down at her freshly sewn arm "Was that good?"

Frankie flexed her hand "Couldn't have done it better myself!" she lifted her arm from the counter finally "No seriously I cannot sew with my left hand for the unlife of me…" she swatted her forehead.

Both of them jumping as their oven timer went off. Holt swinging past Frankie to open it up and check on the brain muffins. They looked ready, Holt nonchalantly grabbing them.

"Jackson!" Frankie squealed jumping over to him, as he tossed them on the stove.

"Hey!" he resisted as she pulled his hand from him, then well, something he hadn't thought about.

"It's blue…" Frankie cocked her head "Is that the color normies turn when they're burned."

Holt pulled his hand back "I'm not… burned."

It was blue.

His blue.

He clenched his jaw thinking about their situation again, missing his skin again. Date or not.

Frankie seemed to pick up on him being just as weirded out by a blue palm as she was.

"Like the parts that you touched." Frankie pointed out still sounding worried "Go run it under cold water." she insisted.

"I'm half fire elemental." Holt pressed back "I mean I thought Holt got all of it but…" the blue was slowly fading to dark pink. "Didn't know it did that…" then smiled "**That's so cool**!" Pressing his hand to the pan again before Frankie jerked it off.

"Jackson what are you doing you're going to hurt yourself!" she pushed him away from the stove.

"What! No I'm not. Hey look. Every time we…poof" he made an exploding motion to imply transforming "We catch fire right? Makes sense I'd be fireproof too." but smiled a weird look in his eye at his fading blue skin again "But didn't' know it did that…"

"Well stop!" she pointed out the dark pink skin it was fading to "See that! That's being burned."

"It's not being burned, it just kinda stings a lot." he whisked his hand away, shaking it "Do you happen to have a lighter on you, I wanna see what else fire does" to this body. He was wondering why he hadn't taken advantage of experimenting with Jackson's normie skin sooner.

"Nooo." she whined shoving him "You're gonna make me take back my date"

Holt dropped the muffin he was trying to lift from the pan.

"What?! No take backs"

"Nope I totally will. If. You. Don't. Stop it." she glared at him. Sparking threateningly.

Well there was a bunsen burner in mad science, he could wait.

"Alright." he rolled his eyes then took a bite of the muffin. Chewing. And chewing. The brain adding a weird texture, and flavor.

She leaned against the counter taking a hot muffin out herself to taste test "I still think that's dangerous but kind of let's me believe…"

"Believe what?"

"That maybe you're right. Maybe you're a monster after all."

Holt grinned, realising he was actually really hungry, it wasn't long till lunch after all. "Told you!" finishing off the muffin. Looking at the rest "Hey Kindergrubber only needs like one of these to taste right?"

Frankie rolled her eyes "Just take mine." she held out the remaining muffin that Holt gleefully took.

"Speaking of… blue skin" she then brought up "I'm down with this date on one condition…"

Holt didn't' like the sound of that.

"Holt comes too."

He started coughing, choking on his muffin. Stumbling over to the sink to get some water in his hand and drink. Oh, she was right, this did feel better on his red stinging hand.

"**What**?" he finally gasped out.

"If you're _really _getting along, that shouldn't be a problem right?" she grilled him.

"Yeah but, **I **asked you."

"I thought it was both of you's idea."

"Well." Holt groaned "If you _**insist.**_" drying his hands, then checking the clock in the classroom. What time did this class end?

"Well we're done with our work so I'm gonna tell him ok?" Frankie piped up "Sides he keeps avoiding me…"

"What **now**?" Holt grabbed his headphone's around his neck protectively.

"Don't make me force him out~~" Frankie sang teasing a trigger.

Holt was reminded of his earlier experience in the office. Rolling his eyes "Only for you…"

* * *

><p>"Frankie!" Jackson was literally cornered, suddenly. The last thing he remembered was avoiding this exact situation.<p>

"Holt…" she smiled. Looking down and blushing "We need to talk…"

That sentence was never a good thing.

Jackson swallowed nervously, might as well be back in Bloodgood's office.

But this was Home Ick actually. Looking past her to their project, grabbing a muffin to stuff his face with.

Tasted kind of odd.

What kind of muffin was this?

"Mm hm?" he pressed not making eye contact.

And still chewing.

This was a chewy muffin..

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

Jackson shrugged, his mouth full to avoid direct questions.

"Jackson said it was because you still liked me."

He swallowed hard still not answering.

"That both of you still like me…" she leaned back against the counter watching the classroom

since he didn't want to make eye contact.

Jackson felt hot again. Wondering if Heath's fire made that go away. The pressure of heated emotions just blew off like steam?

Versus Holt's body just got too hot to touch apparently.

"So is that true? Do you still like me?" she asked him directly.

He could have taken another bite but "Yeah." he answered quietly.

"And you and Jackson have been… getting along better?" she seemed hopeful.

Jackson weighed the question. Not going straight to honesty. This was about what Frankie wanted, not the truth.

In a way though this was the most they'd talked in a long time, even if it was mostly arguing, he was literally in Holt's shoes right now.

"We try." he started. Which was true, in some ways he thought he was always making an effort, even if Holt didn't want to cooperate. Because he was _selfish_ and a _tool_**. **

Frankie didn't need to know that too.

"Otherwise we'd tear ourselves apart." he looked at Frankie's stitches "Uh… no offense."

She raised her eyebrows, biting her lip like she found something funny he hadn't caught. "None taken."

"What's with all the uh questions though?" he asked nibbling on his squishy chewy muffin again. Kind of an eggy sour taste…

"Uhm. Jackson asked me on a date and-"

"Wait what?! You're going on a date with _him?_" so he wasn't allowed to go on a sleepover but-

"Hey give me a chance to talk." she put her hands on his headphones so he wouldn't tear them off again. In the process getting weirdly close to him. Jackson bit his lip feeling super hot again.

"You've keep avoiding me whenever you start freaking out.. "

"I thought you were mad at me… for skipping." Jackson admitted. "Um date?" he squeaked out confused.

"Yeah… Jackson asked me. And I was gonna go but. I want you there too" she let go stepping back.

Jackson blinked scratching his neck "Of course Frankie." why was he always a mess around her. "So we're off pause?"

Frankie winked as the bell rang, handing him a muffin and taking the tray with proper oven mitts on this time. "I'll keep you posted." then went to turn in their project.

Leaving Jackson alone, and confused in the corner.

_Did he just ask her out or the reverse?_


	20. Thought Process

Jackson deleted his self text to Holt for the third time, starting again, while walking slowly down the hallway.

It was lunch period and he was still incredibly confused. Going on a date now, apparently on Sunday, he still wasn't sure what Frankie meant by splitting the date. Or even if there _should_ be a date.

The one time he had a social life he had to be in the middle of an emergency situation.

A really long lasting emergency situation.

He'd left class pretty late, so the hallways were empty, taking his time to go to the Mad Science classroom and check if the door was unlocked again so he could get the final ingredients to recreate the potion.

Typing again to future Holt:

**So we're going on a date now? I mean I'm happy… it's Frankie but after the sleepover…**

He made a face, deleting it again, he'd argue to himself about this later. Looking around the hallways getting even more anxious as he approached the science hall. Double checking for emptiness, most of the classrooms were dark too. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure if Monster High even had more than one lunch period. They were a small school…

For the second time today, suddenly tripping on something he really should have been aware of.

Falling on his face, as he grabbed his headphones adjusting them. Making sure they weren't sliding off, or flying off for that matter.

There was nothing by his foot. Nothing in the hall for that matter.

_Ghost…?_

Running over his list of monsters and their rules and powers. Standing up and looking around confused, and frankly a little weirded out. More confused than scared really.

"Guh!" he cried out as an invisible force pushed him, slamming him into a wall space between an empty classroom and a locker. Holding him there.

"InvisiBilly?!" he accused…

asked…

hoped?

"Hey I got him!" he heard what was clearly InvisiBilly's voice.

"What are you doing?! What are you talking about?!" he asked struggling. Grabbing InvisiBilly's arms and wrestling against him, ending up on the floor again, getting pinned down. Hearing clicking in the halls above Holt's music that was obstructing most noises.

Which explained how he was snuck up on so easily.

Turning his head to see dark green heels, leading to light green legs, to a dark green skirt and…

His eyes widened.

"Hey woah, no no no no" he managed to push InvisiBilly off him, before he was grabbed around the chest from behind, like a tight hug, struggling some more as he was pulled back to the wall "Woah there InvisiBilly" he struggled "You _know _I don't swing that way."

"Shut _up_!" InvisiBilly squeezed him tighter "Scarah!"

Jackson let InvisiBilly support his weight as he wanted to sink into the ground, looking at the invisible boy's girlfriend approach, adjusting her green alice band, clouded pupils looking at him.

"Hm…" she stood there a minute squinting; evaluating him.

Jackson stiffened up feeling a pressure in his head. Trying to think about the music he was listening to instead, trying not to think about…

"He's definitely hiding something" Scarah confirmed.

Jackson heated up, knowing he was in trouble now.

"You can't hyde from a telepath" she warned "I can hear all your thoughts and…" her face dropped.

Then she looked angry.

"What?" InvisiBilly noticed her expression, loosening his grip.

"_**That isn't Holt**_." she squinted grimly.

_Crap. _

Scarah got close to him, and Jackson pressed InvisiBilly up against the wall "Some sort of… imposter."

"Shapeshifter? I knew it!" InvisiBilly squeezed him aggressively.

"Hey! Ow! I'm not a shapeshifter!" Jackson protested. Well he _was _but it was really just a two switch thing.

"Well I know you're not Holt Hyde, Mister, what did you do with the real Holt and Jackson!" Scarah accused.

"What! Scarah! It's me!"

"You, aren't Holt."

"Of… course I… am!" he protested breathing harder trying to just get out of the situation.

"Ow!" InvisiBilly suddenly lost grip as, Jackson shoved away, apparently getting too hot to touch.

Jackson took the opportunity to start to run away, not getting far, before Scarah's eyes widened. She gasped.

"Jackson!"

He froze, stumbling.

"Umm…"

_Double crap._

"Oh. My.. No… _Noooo_. You didn't. It _is _you isn't it!?" Scarah put a hand to her mouth.

"Wait." InvisiBilly momentarily became somewhat visible, Jackson stepped back into the opposing locker wall cranny. "What do you mean…?" he sounded cautious and… weirded out.

"Um. No…" Jackson wasn't the best liar to normal monsters, much less a telepath.

Scarah put her hands to her cheeks looking surprised and confused "No… it is you. I know it's you. I know everyone in the school, and that's…"

"Scarah…" Jackson started not sure how to even start to explain. Feeling sick. No one was supposed to find out.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He wasn't counting on this.

"I couldn't tell in the hallway earlier and-" Scarah rubbed her head. Jackson feeling the pressure again "It really is you… I…" she looked concerned, full of pity.

Jackson felt like he was going to cry.

InvisiBilly piped up "What does she mean by _Jackson_…? Do you mean like…" he started to visify looking mildly horrified.

"Jackson just.. admit it, we know it's you." Scarah chided gently.

Jackson was literally backed into a corner on this one. He could always run away, but was concerned if they told an adult or something…

He sighed, voice dropping back to his usual "Yeah it's me…"

"Woah." InvisiBilly stepped back "Your… _voice_."

"Yeah I know... " Jackson scratched his neck feeling defeated, and scared "I… no one was supposed to know…"

"Well what did you do?! What _happened?" _Scarah asked getting closer to him apprehensively.

"I got hit in the head with a coconut." he retorted flatly.

"Really?!" genuine surprise and belief.

"_What_? No. That was sarcasm. _You're a telepath_!"

InvisiBilly broke out laughing "Oh. My ghoul. So… that mad science experiment you needed me for?"

Jackson's face felt hot, it feeling like he was laughing at his failure. When it was really probably over his girlfriend's odd inability to pick up on his sarcasm.

Scarah sensed the insecurity and jabbed her boyfriend in the ribs.

"There was an experiment?" Scarah started to ask.

"Ehhh" Jackson hunched over to his usual stance "I don't really wanna talk about it."

Before his peers suddenly stiffened up looking down the hallway.

"What?" Jackson asked looking in the same direction.

"You don't hear that?" InvisiBilly hissed fading back to hide, a jangle of keys.

His heart both picked up from fear and frustration, half deaf from Holt's music.

"Nightmare." Scarah started "We can hear her hooves, she or the Headmistress are nearby."

"Yeah and we don't need any additional questions in any case, even if we aren't doing anything particularly wrong." keys emerged unlocking the class next to them "I'm calling an emergency meeting of the disappearing club. Everyone in favor say-"

"Aye, let's go." Scarah grabbed Jackson's wrist pulling them into an empty dark room quietly. All piling into the corner away from the door window. Though it was frosted glass and no one could see through, a precautionary measure.

Suddenly Jackson was smacked in the head by Scarah "Now. What did you do?! Because whatever it was, is wrong on all levels!"

"Hey!" he scooted away from her still anxious from a potential horse hall monitor roaming the halls "It was… an accident."

"It's still bizarre hearing your voice coming out of Holt."

Jackson didn't even know where in the room that phrase came from "Could you _please _stay visible for a minute?"

"I… can't. Nightmare's making me too anxious. Scarah is she out there?"

"If she is, out of range sorry." then proceeded to glare at Jackson.

"It was an accident!" he explained standing up and going to sit on a desk, not liking being in the spotlight "No one was supposed to find out till I fixed it…" he looked at his hands and sighed.

"So that chemical mess two days ago… you actually drank it and… wanted to be Holt for a day?" a white blue hand slowly appeared gesturing.

"Nooo." Jackson huffed "We were… trying to…"

Scarah put her hands to her mouth again "Separate?! Why? You could have seriously hurt yourselves!'

Jackson groaned "I know just… we were both just getting really fed up with the situation and thought it'd be a good idea ok?!" he pouted "It was worth a shot alright?"

"No. No, it wasn't. Seriously! Messing around with your… everything. You could have _died_."

"Well I didn't… so far."

Jackson frowned, contemplating if that was a forewarning of doom or not, she was a banshee couldn't she sense death?

"I can't predict death till I'm really old Jackson." she snapped at him, and Jackson felt bad for thinking it. Not like he'd know better...

"Oh is he thinking about how you just predicted he'd die from the potion? Because you totally jinxed that. We should check on how that test mouse did… "

Scarah slapped solid air, always knowing where he was.

InvisiBilly whined.

"Yes I know you deserved that." Scarah confirmed one of InvisiBilly's thoughts "Honestly, everyone at this school thinks I'm going to call out the end of the world or something."

"Well I'm not going to die, right?" Jackson piped up "This is fixable?"

"I wouldn't know…" Scarah huffed "Not to sound like a snitch or anything but.." she bit her lip looking at the frosted window that Nightmare and/or Bloodgood, may or may not have been around "Maybe you should really tell someone beside us."

She forced it out of him, he didn't technically _tell _her_, _ but that was beside the point.

"That's not an option." he gripped the table tight lipped.

"Jackson, this is like. A medical emergency. You don't just wrap up a broken leg and limp around hoping it'll go away. You tell someone who can help you? Isn't your mum a doctor?"

"Why does everyone know that? And it's just… out of the question." he stood up pacing a bit nervously.

"Well why not? It's really not that embarrassing" Scarah reasoned shrugging.

"Yes it is." InvisiBilly suddenly appeared incredibly close to Jackson, causing him to jump and InvisiBilly to giggle. "Especially on Holt's end, now _that, _I have to see. Poor thing stuck in glasses and a bowtie." he snickered.

"It's out of the question, because one of the ingredients I used to uh. Experiment on myself are also chemicals commonly stolen to make a popular party drug…" he scratched his piercing looking down, thinking back to if they could make it to Mad Science before lunch ended.

"Shush." Scarah suddenly told them all firmly.

All taking these words in particular as warnings of doom.

_Bloodgood for sure. Very close._

Jackson jerked at the surprise of a voice in his head. InvisiBilly catching him before he crashed into the desks. Invisible again, must have been nervous.

They had to be quiet but… he thought firmly at Scarah.

**I can't tell anyone. **

_They'd know you weren't actually making the drug with it. _

**They might expel me for stealing the chemicals at all. **

InvisiBilly pushed Jackson back up to stable positioning, then whispered "I can tell you're thinking at each other you're getting that stupid look..."

_Your monster type has a history for it, I'm sure you could-_

**InvisiBilly was helping me steal them with his janitor's keys. **Jackson mentally reminded her

Scarah suddenly started staring at InvisiBilly without him knowing why "What?" he asked insecurely.

Jackson felt less pressure in his head and watched as Scarah silently fixated on her boyfriend's location, and made subtle varying expressions, going to concern, and anger than… annoyance?

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" InvisiBilly suddenly said outloud.

Jackson was completely lost.

Scarah turned away from him crossing her arms.

"Well _I'm sorry _I was being a good friend. I owed them a couple of things." he protested back at Scarah.

Jackson felt bad for getting him in trouble.

Well he assumed that's what just happened.

"Bloodgood's gone." Scarah sighed out, standing up and fixing her hair.

"Finally." InvisiBilly's face appeared again, sitting on a desk "So what's the plan?"

"The plan is… you two don't tell anyone while I get the last ingredient I need." Jackson explained "Then I recreate the potion, try it again and it should work. Right? I mean if it switched me to begin with… it should switch me back?"

InvisiBilly shrugged. Scarah looked worried.

He rested against a cabinet behind him though looking at his two new friends. "I wasn't counting on anyone finding out but… it feels really good to tell someone." he admitted "It's really hard to pretend to be someone you've never actually met…"

"The voice thing still weirds me out" InvisiBilly repeated.

"_William_, he's just being himself." Scarah protested.

"Don't call me thaaat." InvisiBilly stuck out his tongue.

"Then don't make fun of his voice. I'm sure he's like only gotten to use it when he's alone." Scarah looked sympathetically at Jackson.

Jackson smiled back, of all people to find out at least they were most understanding. Scarah usually got what everyone meant to say, regardless of however it came out.

As opposed to like Frankie finding out and forcing him to tell his mom...

"Wait" InvisiBilly raised a hand as if to ask a question "Can't… Scarah just fix you?"

Jackson's eyes widened "Wait _can _you?"

"Invisi! I'm a telepath not a brain surgeon…" she seemed offended that he misinterpreted her powers.

"Scarah you're the only one on campus close enough to … mess around in there right?" her boyfriend asked supportively "Maybe you could figure out what's wrong?"

Scarah rubbed her arms staring at the ground "I… maybe... " she was thinking "You'd have to be open to it." she suggested to Jackson "And remember that I could mess up, it's very hard to … invade and move things around. I don't know what I could screw up…"

Well it explained why she was worried.

Because that did sound terrifying.

"But do you think you could do it?" Jackson asked meekly. In theory it sounded simple, she just needed to shove his mind back to his side of the brain and Holt back to where he belonged. Assuming that was the problem.

Scarah took a deep breath as if about to start yoga "May I evaluate you first? Let me just see if I can tell what the problem is? If I think I can just pop something back in place I'll try that..."

"Get comfortable~" InvisiBilly sang, scooting a chair over to him, that Jackson took. Placing one facing him for Scarah. Which she took politely.

"I never said yes…" Jackson spoke up.

"Well is it a no?" Scarah asked "This isn't a picnic for me either. Not going to do it if you don't want it."

"No… I want it." Jackson hunched over putting his hands on his purple striped pants.

"That's what she said~" InvisiBilly added going over to the classroom door and making sure it was locked from the outside.

"You're time keeper." Scarah pointed away from Jackson.

"And I'll shake ya out of it if anything happens."

Scarah suddenly put her hands on Jackson's "Are you ready?"

Jackson bit his lip unsure.

"There's no room for uncertainty here, I need your full permission to access everything in there. No holding back. Pretend I'm a doctor, you need to let me grab onto anything or everything or I could hurt you."

"I'll try." Jackson shrugged doing his best.

"Good enough." Scarah rolled her eyes. Well atleast that's what Jackson thought she was doing.

She adjusted his hands onto hers, and leaned in.

_Press your forehead to mine please._

Jackson perked up, and did as he was told, as soon as contact was made everything going white.

His eyes were open but he couldn't see anything.

"I can feel him. In there." Scarah spoke up. Jackson unsure if mentally or she was talking outloud. "Oh my…"

"What?"

"You have… the most unique mind I've ever touched."

"... How many minds have you touched?"

"That's confidential, lad."

"Are you… blushing? I feel like I can tell that somehow."

"Only from excitement. You're incredibly… just…."

He didn't' like how she was talking about him like a scientist might stand over a new species.

"It's even better because you were born this way… I assume?"

"Yeah…"

"No forced rips from it, it's all natural…" she sounded full of wonder.

"That's nice, are you going to stop admiring the view and try to fix me?"

"I need to explore before I know what I'm doing. All these bits that are… yes I think that's him.."

"What?"

"Holt's blocked off from you somehow. It's incredibly fascinating. These bits are supposed to be way more open…But they aren't dead it's like… alive in it's own way. Just so many gates."

"Dead but alive, you mean sleep?" Jackson guessed.

"I guess he is sleeping. I wonder if waking him would put your brain back in place…"

"Is that even possible?"

"You shouldn't even be possible." she reminded him "If he truly is asleep something is very special about your brain. Because he has to be active in there somehow…"

"I don't know if I'd call it sleep if we don't dream during black outs…"

"Goodness maybe we should have done this with Holt, the music is throwing me off…?"

"What music?" Jackson realised he couldn't hear his music. It just sort of kicked in that he wasn't listening, or was but unaware of it.

"Sorry it must be white noise to you by this point... " she sounded annoyed. Jackson getting a mild headache feeling her… exploring.

He held his tongue though. Or… mental tongue. Pretty sure this was all in his head.

"Stop thinking so much it's distracting what I'm able to look at." she snipped at him.

Though not able to see anything Jackson jerked physically grabbing Scarah's hands tighter.

"Found Holt!" she chimed.

"Ugh yeah I can tell." imagining it like some aneurysm burrowed onto the side of his brain.

"It was hard because he's so… spread out. There wasn't really like a clear, this is Holt, this is Jackson barrier like I thought. Well kind of, I mean talk about right sided…"

"Ok so…?"

"Going to see if I can wake him up."

"And you think that is the best route?"

"I mean if you're up for it…" she could sense his nervousness "Don't resist whatever happens?"

"I'll try…"

"Just you're so tense-"

"Well you're in my brain!"

"InvisiBilly is so much better at this than you."

"It's my first time ok."

They were both silent a moment but despite her prankster boyfriend not being present in their conversation, they couldn't help but imagine the kind of joke he'd make at that.

"Going to try to wake him up. Try to activate his side…" Scarah started concentrating.

Jackson definitely felt it. Sudden confusion, fuzziness. His white vision blinking out to black. Hearing Scarah talking but coudln't make out her words.

"I said not to resist!"

White again. Popping back.

"I wasn't…" Jackson protested. Feeling disoriented, like vertigo.

Then flashes of black again. Unable to make out what she was saying.

Blips.

"Holt.

I know it's you in there

Oh come on…"

Feeling like blackouts. Different parts of her speech, sounding off, like he was only catching parts of her conversation.

Memory not making sense of it clearly. Like a skipping record.

"Jackson try to let your mind go blank, every time you pop back it's like, you're trying too hard to orient yourself, let your brain take you where it wants to go."

"I-I'm sorry.." Back to reality, sort of. Still white. Dizzier. "I … just…"

"Woah Jackson are you" her voice faded out.

* * *

><p>Scarah concentrated. Looking for Jackson's thought signatures. Or messages back to her. Taking a deep breath as she pulled on Holt again. Feeling tight resistance.<p>

Like pulling a car with the brakes on.

"Holt come on…." she could feel it. She could feel it rising. Making leeway. Then it'd snap back again, body knowing there was nothing to trigger it.

Wrapping all she had around Holt, struggling, quite the work out really.

_She got a sharp brain flash of hitting the snooze button._

Huffing, trying again. He felt… tired. Burrowing back into Jackson. Hopeful that she was picking up on simple emotions, she kept up.

_Sleepy head. _

_Wasn't time._

_Not the right time. _

_Frankie. Warm fuzzies. _

**Music. **

Yeah it was definitely him… she kept rubbing his direction, maybe if she could gather enough, he'd just activate from her prodding.

_Jackson. His version of him. Just a video screen. _

_And Jackson's hands. Looking at them. Spite and anger. _

_Narrow glances at a new face in the mirror. _

_Mom. _

Scarah inhaled sharply, trying to jar him, wake him but exploring still wasn't doing the job somehow.

_She didn't know who it was at first, taking cues from Holt's own fractured thoughts and memories. Blue wild woman with black swirls like on Holt's face. _

Oh. Still his mum.

The first time it looked so much like Jackson.

_She was blurry though, not a clear thought. Pieced together from glimpses. _

Scarah pressed on trying to figure something unique to Holt. Like love of music. Pulling on him more trying to get him to jump sides. Both were out, if she could just fill the consciousness with Holt. Flipping through, touching something not Holt.

"Ow!"

Crap.

Suddenly Jackson. She shushed him pushing him slowly back down. Tugging on Holt agian but it just kept slipping, snapping back.

Scarah let out a breath, relaxing a bit, biting her lip. She couldn't force it. Afraid of what might happen if she did.

Giving up she helped Jackson back out, rather stopped focusing on Holt, and he slowly filled the void again on his own.

"I feel like you overstretched something in my head…" Jackson groaned "How long was I out?"

"Time is irrelevant, and I can't tell in here anyway." though she could feel a brush of Jackson's own mental feel for time. Subconsciously checking something that warned whether the blackout was a blip or hours of missing time.

"I couldn't get him out, I think I'll need to try something else…"

"Like what?"

"Well… he always comes out to the trigger right? Whatever it may be?"

He could feel pressure, and the thrum of untapped emotions, a well of unrelated nostalgia peeking out.

Jackson wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but let her keep poking because she was helping.

"Try not to struggle, but what was your previous trigger? Was it..."

"Ah!" he tried not to struggle suddenly hit with a vivid memory of watching the sunset from his window in one of his old rooms.

"Oh sorry I didn't think that'd hurt you so bad."

Jackson tried not to be grumpy, trying to relax "No that was my fault I resisted…"

"No it wasn't that. It was the blackout memory. I could feel you flicker."

Scarah continued.

"Do you have a memory of transforming? Like one that took an incredibly long time?"

"You could try that one again…" Jackson sighed, still woozy from her last run around, still not quite all there"I was trying to see what night was like, and had been practicing for weeks. Mom always put me to bed before sunset but I got back up and tried to watch what happened after bed time."

"And you held off for awhile?"

"It wasn't always as harsh as the music was, usually I'd just get really sleepy and thought I just couldn't stay up like adults could… Ah." he stopped talking as she hacked into the memory again.

Vividly standing there, experiencing it but not controlling it. Seeing the sun set down on the hill tops of his old house. He couldn't remember how old he was, not too young, but not old enough to question the black outs as much.

Excitement building as the last of the sun winked out over the horizon, the sky still bright, overwhelming tiredness started to build up, but he resisted staring at the blueish sky that was following sunset. Trying to imagine it all across the sky like on tv.

He had to stay awake. He wanted to see.

"Hold on, lad I can feel Holt, it's like he's peeking in on you."

Jackson tried to respond but felt pain hit his head and memory body. Remembering his first time with the pins and needles. Pressing at his legs painfully, then hands. Straining to see the sky because he knew he could do it. Just getting so sleepy.

"Go slowly, but let it go, do fall asleep." she chided him.

He had to, it wasn't a question on whether he'd let it or not. It always happened.

Swirling black consuming his vision. Still resisting.

"I think I can grab him before the transformation actually-"

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Scarah's hands felt a flash of heat, opening her physical vision to a cringing flame boy. Fire subsiding to Jackson's form, mentally hanging on.<p>

"What's going on?!" he asked looking around the classroom confusedly. Then sort of scared like he was in trouble when he caught sight of Scarah.

"Oh dear.." she held her head, hand still on his leg "Holt. Calm down."

Holt stiffened at his name being used "Wait did…!" he held his head "What are you doing?! You're **not** allowed in there."

**He could hear music**.

_Why could he hear music he was still stuck wasn't he?_

"Holt you need to relax I can't hold onto ah!" she was struggling, gripping his hand again "Holt I know about what Jackson did, that's not the point" she sputtered out.

"Did he tell you?" then held his head "W-why does it feel like that?" he actually sounded weak like he was faltering.

"I-I can't hold onto you…" Scarah apologised, mentally letting go, like a sling-shot.

"Wait

* * *

><p>, Scarah! Ahngn…" Jackson hunched over a migraine hitting him like a brick to the head.<p>

Scarah was hunched over too, InvisiBilly holding onto her as she shook against him.

Through his blurred vision he noted he still had bright red sleeves.

"I-I couldn't pull him out without triggering you I'm sorry... " she apologised "I thought maybe I could just switch it but your actual transformation is just so ingrained. I can't even touch him without…"

He put a hand on Jackson and his headache momentarily subsided a bit "It was like there's all these gates in there, and a few would be Holt and only Holt. The rest are what make your body transform. I couldn't open one without all of them opening up I'm sorry.."

Then shivered letting go. The migraine came rushing back.

InvisiBilly was rubbing her temples, letting her sit back against him. Jackson's vision was clearing up, able to notice Scarah was lightly crying, or at least had tears on her face.

His head hurt.

His everything hurt.

"No I'm sorry I thought it'd work.." he grumbled.

"Nng." she mumbled back in response. "Jackson, your headache is like a bullhorn right now …" she whispered "I-I really need my space sorry. InvisiBilly."

"I gotcha." he started to pick her up into his arms, then kissed her forehead. "Not to be rude, she just needs to get away from you. Text me. We'll talk. I really thought that'd work…" he carried her towards the door.

"W-wait. Everything hurts. InvisiBilly I can barely see." Jackson protested, standing up and stumbling.

"She can't turn off her mental radar Jackson, lay down until the bell." he shrugged "Sorry… I just have to get her out of range of you. You still have like a good 5 minutes till lunch's over. I just- Yeah." he couldn't help it, as he left his friend behind. Feeling bad for leaving him like that.

But he was alone, safe, in a quiet room.

* * *

><p>The door shut behind InvisiBilly, whispering down to Scarah "... He'll be fine right?"<p>

"I'll let you know when I'm further away…" she groaned "That was a bad idea, why did you suggest that…"

"I know… I'm sorry" InvisiBilly started walking, girlfriend hanging off him "I just always feel so bad for the guy. And that was half my fault for letting him into the lab." then stumbled as a headache touched him. Cringing and wincing out a noise.

"Sorry!" Scarah squeaked "Guess I can't talk to you _that _way for a bit."

InvisiBilly forced a smile "Is it going away now that we're further?"

"A bit, I think some of it's just my head too. Oh I'm not looking forward to passing period…" she groaned nuzzling into his hoodie.

"I know what'll cheer you up~" suddenly disappearing while she was still in his arm "Invisible airplaneee" he laughed picking up speed and weaving through the halls.

"What! InvisiBilly stop that it looks so weird in this positioning!" she giggled, knowing she would look like she was flying down the halls whilst curled up in the most awkward position.

"Nyoom!"

"InvisiBilly" she pounded a fist at him, but couldn't help but laugh. Pushing away the guilt of what she'd done to Jackson.

"See it did get you laughing." he reasoned, slowing down out of breath. Forcing visibility for her sake.

"Only from sheer ridiculousness." she wiggled "You can let me down now, it's really not as bad away from him…" also feeling bad that they left him alone. "You should go back and check on him…"

"No to both." he kept walking.

Scarah sighed smiling, resting against him, it was pretty nice. "Ok but if you see anyone coming, you have to put me down."

"Deal."

Pausing to lean down and kiss her.

She kissed back.

Before making a face "Yeah still feels inappropriate…"

"With him in the room probably crying…" InvisiBilly imagined dramatically. Then set her down, she shakily got to her feet. "You sure you'll be fine during passing period?"

Scarah sighed "I'll get to class early and try to listen to some zen music. Don't worry about me I'll manage, I always have."

InvisiBilly started backing off in the opposite direction back towards Jackson, to make sure their patient hadn't died or something "Kay, I'll see you next period!"

She winked back "But I probably won't see you~"

"We need to find a better joke!" he called back across the hall. Usually when she kept talking to him mentally but not today.

"Tell him I'm sorry again!" she shouted down the hall. "I really thought it'd work!"

InvisiBilly wasn't sure she'd really hear him so just saluted before disappearing down the hallway again.

Off to check on his other damsel in distress.


	21. Ghoulfriend

"Well I didn't notice anything weird." Clawdeen reaffirmed munching on the last of her Home Ick leftovers.

Frankie pouted at her lunch table thinking about her mystery. InvisiBilly noticed, but she was the only other it seemed. Something was wrong and she was really worried he was sick or something.

"Beside you flirting your hand off in Home Ick…" Cleo mumbled into a water bottle.

Ghoulia opened her mouth, as if she was about to say something, just as Cleo made a face and slammed down her water bottle sliding it towards Ghoulia.

"Ghoulia I said a COLD one!"

Ghoulia closed her mouth and rolled her eyes, her input lost as she ambled back towards the lunch line.

Frankie flipped through her Monster Beat teen magazine, hoping for some clues.

"You aren't going to find anyfang in there Frankie!" Draculaura peeped up, sitting on the opposite end of the lunch table as Clawdeen to avoid watching her gffl chow down on leftover farmyard creatures. "Those magazines are only helpful for like fashion trends, all the advice is terrible."

"Who we talking 'bout?" Abbey joined in straightening out a water stained library book.

"Frankie thinks Jackson's been hiding something." Clawdeen explained.

"Oh. That one easy. Holt Hyde and Jackson. Same person." Abbey added helpfully, no one entirely sure if she was actually trying to help or...

"That was joke." she confirmed.

Frankie stopped on a page skimming the advice columns.

"Wait guys, this might be helpful:  
>So you think your man's hiding something?<br>He's acting suspicious around you.  
>Always sounds like he's in trouble.<br>And is acting different than usual.

There's a chance he could be cheating on you!" she bit her lip sounding frightened by the suggestion.

Cleo raised her watery blue eyes to make eye contact "Frankie. You aren't even dating."

"Oh yeah…" the mint green ghoul went back to page flipping "Well… something's up regardless."

"Wait Jackson's acting oddly too? Crikey, I thought it was just Holt feelin' blue or something." Lagoona slid Cleo's abandoned water bottle towards herself.

"Same person" Abbey reaffirmed shrugging, putting her hand to her chin "Although… blue one… Was in library yesterday..."

"Holt goes to the library?" Clawdeen squinted.

"I thought same thing." Abbey looked at Frankie suddenly involved with her information to share "But I don't know him very well. Maybe you ask Heath?"

"That's what InvisiBilly said too…" Frankie rested the weight of her head on her securely newly tied wrist, without worry it'd break off on her.

"Ugh I don't know how you stand him Abbey.." Draculaura snapped a remaining carrot before munching on it, most everyone done with their lunch at this point.

"Oh Draculaura we can't all be blessed with having the perfect man" Cleo butted in with pride. Clear she wasn't talking about Clawd.

"Oh Heath's alright if you know how to wrangle him." Lagoona winked "Or have a spray bottle on ya."

This elicited a giggle from Clawdeen and Draculaura as Frankie kept staring blankly at her unhelpful teen mag.

Clawdeen gave Frankie a light shove "Oh ghoul, he's not worth all this frettin'…"

"Clawdeen has a point, he's kind of more trouble than this is worth right?" Draculaura rolled her eyes "I mean haven't you gone through this before?"

"He really isn't up to the standards a ghoul like you deserves" Cleo gave Frankie a very light half sympathetic pat "If you're ever going to have a boyfriend you should wait for the perfect one. I mean as perfect as you could manage anyway."

"I asked him out…" Frankie sighed.

"You WHAT?"

It only sounded louder because everyone said it at the same time.

"Oh ghouls give her a break!" Lagoona defended. "You know she never got over him…them…"

"I thought that was just because you were… friends!" Draculaura said.

Clawdeen started laughing "Oh ghoul so that's why you were so… handsy in Home Ick."

Frankie pouted, kicking her werewolf lunch buddy.

Clawdeen kicked back playfully.

"You're gonna kick my foot off again…" she warned before closing her magazine dramatically "I don't know… I don't know why I asked him. I guess I just… I mean partially I just wanted to know what was up… He kind of started to ask me first… things have been…" she rested her head in her arms on the table "Building up…"

"Oooh sparks are flying between the two of you~?" Clawdeen kicked her leg again.

"I will zap you." she sighed "I don't knowww. Like no matter what I do I keep running into them. Knowing they're the same guy just… made things they do a lot more forgivable I guess." she made a face "And he's just been so cute lately. He started giving me weird compliments like Holt would give and kept offering to sew up my hand. I started to think that maybe they are getting along… maybe even just for the sake of me…"

Frankie Stein looked at all her friends forlornly "Maybe I'm just as crazy as they are…"

"Crazy is right…" Cleo looked towards the lunch line "Oh what is taking Ghoulia, lunch is nearly over…"

"Why don't you check on her?" Lagoona offered finishing off the water that was being replaced.

Cleo made a face "I'll just… give her a few more minutes."

"Cleo's right, they are kind of…" Draculaura made a swirling hand motion to her head "Weird, up there? I mean beside their whole uh hehe freaky flaw."

"It's pretty much all their freaky flaw though." Frankie defended "Like I know a lot about brains and all the memory problems and weirdness. I'm pretty sure it's their uh, condition." she smiled lightly though, that was part of what made them fun and quirky though. "Or maybe they just don't know how to act around a girl. I mean I nearly short-out around them too.."

"Yeah but, love, Holt knows how to act around girls and he was like depressed or something yesterday" Lagoona pointed out.

"True…" Frankie thought back to Home Ick "Jackson said it was just Holt liking me but… That's definitely not how Holt acts around… things he likes."

"You're over analyzing it." Draculaura finished her carrots "People don't always have to act the way you expect them too Frankie."

"Said the vegetarian vampire." Clawdeen licked the blood off her fingers, as Draculaura deliberately looked away. "She has a point though ghoul, you're over thinking it."

"You don't know him like I do…" Frankie mumbled looking at Abbey for support. "Something's wrong. If it's not physically than it might be emotional. And if it's that then I want to help him."

There was also the potential he was troubled by something at home. All the more reason to talk to his cousin.

"Gonna go see if Heath knows anything, I'll see you ghouls later, kay?"

Her friend group waved their goodbyes and Abbey accompanied Frankie to the boy table.

Frankie gave a lopsided smile to her tall stocky friend "You don't have to come with me."

Abbey winked "Making sure you no stealing my man, eh~?" she joked.

Frankie rolled her eyes with a half giggle "Thanks… Heath is… Heath."

"Oof… Abbey knows…"

She pressed a frigid hand to Frankie's shoulder, and Frankie tried not to make a surprised noise from the cold seeping through her mesh sleeves.

"You always good friend. Abbey, keep an eye on confusing boy for Frankie." giving reassurance that she wasn't as dismissive as her other friends.

"Awww, thanks Abbey…" Frankie smiled scooting away from a shoulder of ice crystals.

Watching as her yeti friend stopped at Heath's seat speaking to him privately. Then physically lifted him from the table and plopped him in front of Frankie.

"Err uh, thanks for the assist Abbey." Heath eased out clearly surprised from the lift, but looked at Frankie, scratching his neck "You wanted to…"

"See why cousin so weird." Abbey explained badly.

Heath squinted at her "Yeahhh I don't really have an explanation for that one, I mean hybrid monsters who knows…" he shrugged.

Frankie face palmed "No uh… fang on a second." she had to organize her thoughts "You haven't noticed him acting oddly lately?"

"Um... " Heath looked at Abbey, then back to Frankie "Which one?"

"Both of them."

"Well Holt didn't want to go to my slumber party tonight but I think that's just Jackson probably making him stay home. I talked to his mom and it wasn't her keeping him, so I think I have a plan for that." he smiled mischievously "I mean other than that…" he shrugged with a grimace "Probably just Jackson being… Jackson. Who knows with normies right?"

"How about just Holt?" she thought back to Clawculus "I know this sounds like a kind of weird question but what with his… "cool guy" rep" she finished with air quotes "He wouldn't be caught undead wearing Jackson's glasses right…?"

Heath started laughing suddenly pulling out his phone "Actually I have a couple of funny pictures regarding that, he steals them a lot… sometimes he'll send me pics in Jackson's bow tie with the best captions."

"Oh! I'm good…" Frankie made a face not wanting to see Holt making fun of him at the moment "But I mean like, besides when he's messing around?"

"Hey look, I didn't even know he was my cousin until like super recently." Heath explained raising his hands in cluelessness "They don't disappear with the clothes though for some reason so maybe he forgets…?"

Frankie squinted "Wait do you know how they're clothes work because even I don't-"

"Jackson doesn't either but I know I catch Holt taking them off right after he fwooshes out of nerd mode." He looked at Abbey "Uh sorry was that helpful? Why are you asking?"

Frankie looked past him at the boys table engaged in their own comradery.

"Well. At first I thought he might just be sick. Then I thought I was crazy. Then InvisiBilly told me he was acting weird too. So I thought maybe there was some business going on at home maybe?" she squeaked out hopefully.

"I mean not that I can think of recently. I mean sides the dude not really having a dad but I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about that.." he suddenly looked guilty.

"What happened to his dad?"

"Ehh, I'm not really supposed to talk about it I think…" Heath folded his arms clearly having trouble withholding information "But he's probably over that by now. Like I said nothing recent. To my knowledge anyway. Auntie's kind of a private lady when she wants to be."

Noticing Frankie still looked concerned.

"Hey Frankiee" he put his arm around her only to be immediately tugged back by Abbey "Listen. You're overthinking this. Whatever you think is going on, he's fine, believe me."

"Then… where is he?" she asked looking at the lunch table missing him, though he could have left early.

"Huh? Oh." Heath laughed "It's Jackson. If he ever does make it to lunch you only have like a 50/50 chance of getting him or Holt." he looked curiously at the lunch doors "I think they get lost sometimes, who knows? If you text him he'll probably show but you shoulda done that when lunch started."

The bell rang to signal the opposite.

"I have him next class if you want me to ask him?"

"Oh! Actually don't even bring this up if you could." she bit her lip looking guilty "It makes me sound like a huge snoop or something. And I think he has an aversion to people doting over him like a nurse…" she thought back to the nurse's office silently.

"Probably because his mom's a doctor." Heath swung his arm around Abbey's arm, that was stiff and didn't reciprocate. "Or whaaat do you think something all sci fi and spooky is going on?" he asked grinning like she was off her rocker.

Frankie looked at the emptying the creepiteria "You never know at a school like this…" not that she had a lot to compare her only school ever to. Never having grade school after all.

"What student do you even know who could do… whatever you're thinking?" Heath pressed "No one duh. We don't even have any shapeshifters here."

"If there were shapeshifter at Monster High, we would not know" Abbey added wisely.

"Woah! Abbey you're right! I have a lot of things to rethink now." Heath suddenly looked mind blown.

"That was joke."

"Are you sure because I think you have something going there?" Heath bounced a little excitedly, as he was tugged out of the room by his stronger girlfriend, "Oh! Bye Frankiee!" he waved at her as he left.

She waved weakly back. Thinking back to that topic. Well it wasn't a family problem. Probably. How could Heath be so oblivious to his own family?

Then again his comment about Holt.

She knew he knew Jackson for a long time. But not Holt…? That sounded so sad.

Assuming Holt was there when they were younger.

Huh... she wondered if asking about that would be rude...

Jackson didn't even know about Holt though..

Thinking to Jackson's parent's decisions on that one. Wondering if it was the whole Hyde thing. Or just knowing if Holt and Heath were ever in the same room something would end up burned to the ground or in the emergency room.

She rolled her eyes at the thought, joining the passing crowd, probably the latter.

Probably just overthinking it.

She'd know for sure by Swim Class.

Anxious about dress-out day, making a mental note to find something to cover her bolts with before she fried the rest of the class.

Save for maybe her fire-proof boy.


	22. FormaldeHyde

Just leave him alone to die in here.

_Stupid InvisiBilly_. Stupid… Scarah.

Jackson frowned, regretful of that thought.

Scarah wasn't stupid… she was just trying to help.

It was InvisiBilly's dumb idea, and he was the one that abandoned him. At the same time he choose his ghoul over him, and Jackson couldn't really blame him.

Well he could, but it made it more excusable.

Jackson held his head leaning up against the cabinet in whatever class this was. Ge-ogre-phy? There was a map on the wall. That could mean anything. It was science hall, so probably not.

Migraine cutting into his brain from another experiment gone wrong. He put his head down hoping it'd go away, at least the classroom was dark but.

_Music trigger..._

Whining as he tried to turn his music down as much as he could just getting uncomfortable as he teetered on the edge of transforming again.

_Then again…_

Pulling out a sharpie, and scribbling on his hand.

**you deal with it**

He had to last time after all…

Letting out a breath as he grabbed Holt's headphones and tossed them a couple of feet away.

"Ah!" he stiffened up, it for some reason not coming immediately. Like a sore muscle refusing to flex after straining itself. Getting hotter and hotter like he was resisting, only he wasn't. He welcomed the change. Even if it felt like he was on fire.

Wait, no he was. On the rare occasion seeing his body actually in flame before he blacked out.

* * *

><p>Holt woke up with his face to the ground. Squinting at a killer headache hitting his brain like a train. Feeling…<p>

Sore…

All over. Pushing himself up and trying to shrug off the full body ache.

His neck felt naked and he spotted his red headphones on the floor still buzzing with music that he shut off with a frown. Ticked off at Jackson for tossing his property.

What **happened. **Unless Jackson got really hammered somehow… in the middle of the school day. Wait.

Dark classroom, quiet school. He quickly double checked the time on his iCoffin, losing less time than he thought, though with this headache it would have been more of a relief if it was like 5 or 6 instead of lunch period.

He gave up on the perpetual question of where he was or why he was there, noting his hand was mildly sticky with ink again.

Seeing Jackson's message and squinting at it.

What did Jackson **do?!**

Whatever it was, was _his_ responsibility, sliding the headphones back up his ears and starting the music at low volume, it pounding into his head like a knife. He slowly started to raise the volume bearing it through to try and get to transform.

As the prickling sensation started, he was overwhelmed with nausea and chills. Wincing he pulled the headphones back down, shaking, feeling sick.

Something telling him he maybe didn't want to transform right now… or possibly couldn't.

Forcing it maybe wasn't the most comfortable thing to do at the moment….

The last thing he remembered was Frankie wanting to talk to Jackson, then.

He felt like there was something more, only getting a sharp white flash and another intense pain in his head.

Sitting up slowly, body shivering again.

Ok… Frankie wanting to talk to Jackson then…

Preferring not to recall whatever came next because it was just making his headache worse.

Turning off the music again.

Putting his hand on the cabinet behind him. Easing himself slowly up, another white flash and he was sitting again. It was like he could barely see straight. Crawling over to the desks he grabbed one and slowly pushed himself up onto it. Head heavy with vertigo.

Still not sure _**why **_**exactly.**

Theorizing maybe they were sick again. Or… after effects from the experiment.

Whenever he thought too hard about it though it just made him sicker. Trying to remember just making pain shoot through his brain.

So he tried not to think about it.

He had rolled with stranger situations.

Either way, that dork was going to be in for some serious payback for making him go through this.

Making it to the door, the hallway thankfully empty.

Taking a breath. Had to buck up.

* * *

><p>InvisiBilly was nearly to the door when it opened, a tired looking Jackson stumbling out. Well. He knew better now, it wasn't actually <em>Jackson<em>. Which he still had trouble wrapping his head around. Because when he looked at him, the word Holt, did not come to mind. Though he had his glasses off.

That's what Frankie must have been picking up on.

Well now he felt bad for asking her to look out for suspicious behavior. He wondered if there was a way to retract his earlier investigations.

Getting closer to Holt he made a face. The brief glimpse during Scarah's accidental summoning hadn't given him enough time to notice that… he was covered in blood.

Well not really _covered _ more like, all over his shirt. Dark brownish stains all over his yellow shirt. He wondered where his sweater vest went.

"Oh my ghoul, what happened to you?" InvisiBilly asked loudly.

Holt grabbed a locker turning to face him startled.

InvisiBilly blinked. "Oh." appearing and adjusting his beanie.

"What do you mean?" Holt asked using Jackson's voice still, putting on glasses hanging from a shirt pocket, hurriedly.

…Did he not know?

Thinking back, he was invisible any time Holt had appeared in that room. And he knew Jackson and him had terrible communication skills with eachother.

This seemed like the kind of news Jackson would make sure he knew though.

Unless he was deliberately hiding it from him for some reason?

"I know you go to a monster school but you probably shouldn't be walking around with a shirt covered in blood. I mean you're vampire bait already." InvisiBilly explained, pointing it out. Reminded him of ketchup and mustard.

Holt looked down at himself, "Oh **dude, gross."**

That was totally Holt's voice, how did he not notice this whole thing sooner?

They were _awful _at this.

InvisiBilly faded as soon as Holt wasn't looking. It was always a conscious effort to stay visible so unless he was holding someone's attention he would just fade back to natural.

Right now Holt was looking in his bag for something.

Muttering something about how he would never understand how their clothing worked.

Then pulled out a sweater vest that looked similar to the one Jackson always wore but different, less colorful, just black and white checkerboard. Squinting at it surprised like it was in his bag. Then pulling it on to cover up his Home Ick mess.

Forcing a smile to InvisiBilly. Which was also a sign. Jackson didn't smile as much as Holt did.

"Also odd question. Can I talk to _Holt?" _InvisiBilly asked sort of slowly. Wanting to get the go ahead from Jackson to tell Holt all he knew about their current state.

After all, Jackson didn't say anything to Holt for some reason, so maybe he was witholding information?

"Nope." he responded kind of fast.

InvisiBilly wondered if something else was up. "Ok maybe I'll see you later?"

"Sure." Holt began walking before he stumbled and doubled over suddenly hissing and holding his head.

InvisiBilly made sure he was visible before bolting over to help. "Geez are you ok?"

Holt pushed him away. "**Fine."**

InvisiBilly rolled his eyes force helping him up before Holt shoved him again.

"Just a headache. It's nothing." he seemed eager to get rid of InvisiBilly. Though they never really had been friends. He kind of knew him. Knew Jackson a bit more.

Holt wasn't always around though, and was so bright and loud. InvisiBilly prefered to disappear on most scenes. Rather, couldn't help but. Even if he wanted to get the attention of the DJ at a party or something, as soon as the spotlight was on him he'd fade.

Also this was his fault. Again.

Helping him get drugs and now he'd gone and screwed up their brains or something.

Holt stared at him squinting like he was unsure if it was his vision or InvisiBilly's translucent bad habits. The invisible boy tried to solidify for Mr. Hyde's sake.

"If you let me talk to Holt you wouldn't have to deal with this migraine?" he suggested trying again.

Holt actually laughed, in a very unJacksonlike way "I guess he had the same idea…"

InvisiBilly actually gave that one some thought "I would think it was the music. That's gotta agitate something like that?"

Holt blinked with a slightly masked face of realisation "Naw, that makes too much sense."

Though acted like he didn't know why he had a headache.

How much did he remember anyway, what all the Scarah screw up. Hopefully it was just a migraine.

"Hey Hol-...ey moleey, it's really close to passing period." InvisiBilly started, biting his lip as he realised what he'd just slipped. It probably wasn't a secret. He was just spending so much mental energy thinking of this guy as Holt it kinda just.

"What did you say?"

A little too much knowing in that voice. "Haa." he punched Holt's arm "Sorry, uh almost called you Holt there. I know how much you hate it when I get you guys mixed up."

Holt didn't look convinced.

InvisiBilly opened his mouth to explain, feeling too bad to lie any longer.

"I know you're actually Holt…" he hurriedly squeaked out.

InvisiBilly's guilt increased as his friend almost fell over, going to support him.

"I said **let go**." he nearly growled "I don't need any fainting couch, yo."

Holt voice. He didn't seem to care as much as Jackson did.

"News hit you that hard?" InvisiBilly cracked.

"I keep getting white flashes. _Know why?" _at least he was connecting that something important happened when he was out.

InvisiBilly clenched his jaw and swallowed. "Scarah figured out the whole… situation. Well I mean we both did, she just confirmed it. You two are really really awful actors you know?"

"We aren't all related to drama teachers." then cringed. InvisiBilly supporting him as the bell rang like a jackhammer to his brain.

Holding on and disappearing as Holt struggled to shake him. "Where's your next class?"

"Mad Science."

InvisiBilly started pushing him in that direction, no one emerging from the classrooms, lunch traffic starting to trickle into adjoining halls.

"Dude why are you-"

"I don't want you to fall over or something idiot." InvisiBilly let go though at his request. Hovering undetected. Though Holt started to slow down looking at the classrooms.

InvisiBilly rolled his eyes again and kept giving him shoulder shoves in the right direction. "The one we stole chemicals from."

"That was mostly you and the dweeb."

Silence as they arrived at said class, tried the door, then waited by the adjacent locker.

"I knew someone would catch us sooner or later." Holt looked around at the mostly empty hallway, no time to try and grab whatever it was Jackson still needed. "I mean I'm **awesome **at all this, but Jackson can't even do my voice right, dude."

"I don't think you could have hidden from Scarah either."

"Guess we'll never get to know. Did she brain blast us or something?"

Wow he really didn't remember…

"She tried to see if she could fix you."

Holt stiffened up "Oh. Haha guess it didn't work?" he hissed rubbing his head again, looking anxiously at the louder and louder hallway. InvisiBilly wondered if he ever wanted to be the quiet one.

"She got a headache from it too if it's any consolation."

"Any news on when it'll go away?"

InvisiBilly shook his head until he realised no one could see him. "No."

Holt grinned in his general direction tugging at his bowtie and switching to a dramatically Jackson voice "And what do you think about the new look~?"

"Oh yeah really suits you, I always thought you should take styling tips from Jackson."

"Shut up." he grumbled shoving at air as InvisiBilly slid out of the way. "Don't you have your own class to get to?"

"They won't notice I'm tardy." looking at Holt. Really taking a moment to look at him. His posture was even different. He fidgeted and looked around at things more. Wasn't complaining either. Jackson would have been whining the whole time. Gave InvisiBilly weird thoughts about Holt being actual MPD, if Jackson never transformed physically and just mentally.

"I kind of have a free pass on the whole attendance thing since they screw up so much." he continued.

Holt was looking around at how the halls were getting more students, switching back to his Jackson impression for the sake of safety "You guys aren't telling anyone neither right?" he confirmed "After last Halloween I'm not taking any more chances with that sort of thing if I can help it."

"No, Scarah knows I'd probably get in trouble too for helping you two." InvisiBilly started "So you have some insurance. If someone else figures it out though, don't drag me into this…" Which reminded him.

"I think Frankie's suspicious too."

"Yeah she thinks I have a concussion."

"Well not too far off." Almost time to go InvisiBilly chimed in a couple of last thoughts "Have you been holding up ok like this?"

Holt clenched his jaw suddenly looking more pissed than anything. He was usually so loud and cheerful, InvisiBilly could forget he could get really hot headed.

"It's not **me **and I don't like it." he just answered curtly, scratching as his long sleeves like he was in a straight jacket.

InvisiBilly swallowed "K well… gonna go to class." he excused himself "Don't pass out in class or anything stupid."

Holt grimaced at InvisiBilly "Cool. See ya. Or not. Or whatever…"

He took that as his cue to leave his dual natured friend alone, and make his usual hallway dodge to class. Forcing visibility best he could for the moment.

That dude had issues.

Jackson seemed more flustered by this.

He thought about angry Holt staring at his reflection the other day and how often he'd been observing them, rethinking some of all this with the new information.

Though he supposed it could have been similar to rubbing baby powder on himself when he was a kid to try and see what he really looked like uninvisible.

Sometimes he just needed to see himself for real to remind himself he existed.

* * *

><p>Drifting to their seat he put his head down immediately. Head hurting too much to care or listen to anything important as the classroom set up.<p>

Until.

"Jackson. Jackson. Jackson."

A super heated hand ruffling his bangs and pulling his head up teasingly.

"Where were you during lunch?"

Holt shrugged, usually down to wreak havoc with Heath but right now his voice was like a knife to his brain.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Holt opted for sarcasm "Well cous'. Don't know if you've noticed but there are big blocks of my life. Where I have no idea what went on." he smiled.

Heath looked nearly dumbfounded like he legitimately forgot "Right."

Holt took the opportunity to put his head back down.

"Are you ok?" Heath asked "You look. Kind of hung over." The sound in his voice suggested he was half joking but was also concerned with that being a possibility. "And if you are I want to know why I wasn't invited to the party."

"Large chunks. No memory of." he muffley replied.

"So is that a: yes, you are hung over, then?" Heath asked "Or a: no of course not, out of the question"

"Pretty sure it's not that." he tilted his head to smile at his fire elemental family. Then smooshed a hand though Heath's own hair jerking it away as he caught fire by surprise. Having messed it up in revenge.

Heath whined and went to smooth it back, while Holt noted a particular scent in the room.

Looking up around reflexively, but no Frankie.

Settling on a table with class supplies, a lot of animals in jars and such. Different source of formaldehyde. Disappoint.

Leaning back on his arms as he watched Heath burn snowflake shapes into the table. Mr. Hack starting class or something.

Maybe he couldn't black out to Jackson at the moment but he could check-out a different way. Willingly getting comfortable on Jackson's cotton sleeves and putting his head down until he needed to actually do something.

* * *

><p>"Jackson. Jackson. Jackson"<p>

What a persistent headache.

Wait no it was just his cousin.

He turned to look at Heath who was looking worriedly at the other students getting up and crowding the table of jars he was looking at before.

"Should we be getting stuff?"

"You tell me" Holt yawned, sticking Jackson's glasses back on habitually.

"Aw man you're supposed to be the one paying attention why do you think I sit next to you?"

"Because you're my cousin and you love me."

"Because if I fail this class, dad's gonna hose me down or something…" Then suddenly got up following all the other students to get supplies for the lab they were doing.

Returning with several jars of dead animals and plopping down a fresher looking dead frog on their desk, along with a small binder on the lab they were doing.

This school sure had a steady supply of dead animals…

"Oh I almost forgot" he ran up, glancing at other students, coming back again with a car battery, jumper cables, a box of something else, sewing supplies maybe, and a couple of bolts.

Holt caught a bolt before it rolled off the table.

"Wait." he looked at the other kids setting up. Some frantically looking through the complicated process in the binder. Taking in the smell of formaldehyde going off in the classroom as other kids opened their jars.

"This is a Frankie lab."

"What?" Heath was scratching his head at a section of the binder explaining simple electricity resistance.

He smiled, the smell sort of soothing his migraine instead of agitating it. Just needed that perfume Frankie used to cover it up…

"Heath you don't get it. I can actually do this." he grinned excitedly. Of all the things. All the **stupid** Jackson things he'd been expected to do lately. **Freakin' finally.**

Obsessing over a dead girl finally had some benefits. Well there was their Sunday date... that was a benefit so far. He really couldn't get over this smell in the room though, it was making him think of her too much.

But not in a bad way.

Getting back to work.

He wasn't sure how the frog was killed but half of it's head was squished in and missing an eye, a couple of it's legs seemed twisted oddly like they were broken. And who knew what other damage it was kind of dented.

His headache made him twitch. Reminding himself to punch the nerd later or something.

He looked back at his class subject.

Briefly wondering if it was possible to give it laser vision.

Ghoulia would know.

But she looked busy with Cleo; her Princess making faces at various dead animals presented to her, trying to find one to suit her refined tastes.

"Jackson it's leg's all messed up"

"Sweet! We can probably give talons or something." Holt turned back to the lab, snapping back into reality with a grin trying not to think too hard about his killer headache that kept crawing back.

"Oh!" Heath fumbled through the body parts excitedly, pulling out a clawed paw from some unknown beast before it spontaneously combusted in his hand.

Ashes spilled on the table.

Holt tapped the table in rapid succession, while Heath guiltily looked for a different replacement part.

Holt grabbed a scalpel and started cutting into the messed up leg, tired of waiting around.

"Hey shouldn't we like figure out what we're replacing it with before you cut it?" Heath set down a dead rat watching his cousin saw away at the thing.

Holt shrugged popping off the bad piece and tossing it behind him. Followed by a squeal and a thumping noise.

He peeked to see a pink vampire getting fanned by a decidedly concerned looking steam-powered bronze classmate.

He slowly turned back to his lab, nonchalant.

Grabbing a tentacle out of Heath's hand and lining it up to the frog starting to sew it up. Heath gave him this weird squint. Either squicked out, or concerned over his obsession for stitched up green girls.

"What?"

"Nothing." Heath started flipping through the lab binder again. Then pursed his lips "Didn't know you were such a girl, Mrs. Seamstress"

"You were the one watching Next Top Monster the other night."

"It was the finale and Clawd watches it too, shut up."

Holt kicked Heath's leg.

Heath kicked lightly back.

Then Holt sliced open the dead frog's belly.

Heath surprisingly flamed up, almost grabbing Holt's wrist "Woahh! What are you doing? Aren't we supposed to be fixing it?"

"I am" Probably. "It's insides are messed up too, like look."

Heath looked into the frog insides, looked like guts. "I don't see anything wrong with the insides."

"Well I had to check right?" he looked at it too. Not sure what frog insides were supposed to look like. "Seems good." Ignoring his previous statement.

"Ok Dr. Jekyll" Heath held up air quotes.

"**Oh ew**, don't call me that." Holt quipped back making a face at the name that just rang his mom. Stitching it back up. Even if something was wrong not like he'd know. Then flipped it over. "This frog doesn't have any ears."

"Frogs don't have ears, genius."

"What. No. They do. I'm the smart one. I mean... " did Crossfade have ears? He couldn't remember.

"How else would it hear?"

"Woah I guess that's a good point. I wonder how it lost them?"

"We should give it new ears then. Like bats are good at hearing stuff right? We'll give it super hearing." he pulled a bat head out of a jar and snipped off it's ears quickly adding them to their creation. Then with an after thought pried it's fangs out. Jamming them into his frog's mouth. One fell out, but he decided it looked better that way.

"Yeah see we're pretty much almost done." Holt declared holding up their lab. Then cutting the other leg off with scissors.

"There was nothing wrong with that leg, dude." Heath pointed at the newly amputated part.

"Oh. Right." he began sewing it back on. Then tried to change the subject "We should name this little dude."

"Oh! Uh… Heath Jr.!" Heath excitely suggested.

"What! No. Holt Jr." he sort of automatically responded

Heath opened his mouth. Then closed it squinting again. "Uh. Dude. Why _Holt_ Jr.? Exactly?"

"Oh."Holt paused trying to think of something Jackson would say "It's… ugly like him."

Heath got quiet "Holt has the same face at you…"

"Are you calling me ugly?"

"No just that he's just _you_ but blue. And you know. Cooler."

Glad to know his cousin always had his back.

Noticing something else wrong, it's middle eye kind of squished and blackish. He began to pry it out with the scalpel "Do we have any spare eyes?"

Heath went through their dead selection. Then looked at the far away but cleared out desk that used to have spare parts. "Oh!" he started digging in his bag excitedly. Pulling out a bag of sugar eyeballs. Popping one in his mouth before passing one to Holt.

"That'll work." it was like the right size too. Just not really frog eye colors. A bit out of place but no one had to notice, as he squeezed it in, stitching parts of it for extra security.

"How do we put the bolts in?" Heath asked completely ignoring their assigned binder at this point.

Holt grabbed the bolts. Then gouged a couple of holes in it's neck and crammed them in. "Done." he declared.

"I don't think that's gonna work…"

Holt looked mildly offended "Whaaat. Of course it will." As he spoke a bolt fell off and rolled into his lap.

He picked it up and looked at equipment. Seeing two nuts he had ignored. Replacing his jammed in bolts with those, that he secured with more thread. Then screwing the bolts in. Proud he'd actually figured that out without assistance.

"Now for the fun part" he winked, dragging over the car battery, hooking up the jumper cables.

"Maybe I should do that." Heath suggested dragging it away from him, at least more sure he was fireproof.

"What no it's Holt. Jr." Holt suggested "So it's mine."

Heath made that weird face again.

Holt stared back not making any more excuses. "I get right side." he grabbed a cable clip while Heath hurriedly grabbed the other. Both clipping it on.

There was a buzzing crackle as sparks shot from their frog. Both letting go as they were pushed off their seats by a sudden charge. Then climbed back onto their chairs looking at their smoking dead frog.

Heath's hair was standing on end, Holt guessed his was doing similar, but he didn't fix it, thinking it was a nice change for Jackson.

"Aw you screwed it up…" Heath pouted at their inanimate sizzling frog.

"What. No. Come on Holt Jr.!" Holt grabbed the desk pressing his thumb into the frog's chest, vaguely remembering where he saw the heart after the dissection. Thumping it several times.

"Dude it's not gonna-" then stopped talking. Leaving his mouth hanging open as the tentacle spasmed, then all the limbs started flailing at the air.

"It's alive!" Holt exclaimed, fist pumping the air. Then high fiving Heath "Woo!" A couple other students looked at their commotion. Holt grinning as he plopped it on it's belly. Not even caring about his subsiding headache at this point.

The frog could barely stand, and the tentacle seemed to have stopped moving. He was pretty sure he was the first one done too. It made a weird groaning noise without opening it's mouth but it's eyes very very slowly blinked.

"Are we the first ones to finish?" Holt asked Heath wanting to beat everyone at this.

Heath looked over at Cleo and Ghoulia somewhat close. Seeing a rabbit still not moving on their desk. "Cleo's looks dead but I think they're taking the extra time to bedazzle it or something."

"Sweet! Do we get extra points for winning?"

"It wasn't a... " Heath paused looking up "You know maybe…?"

Holt smiled picking up Holt Jr. and trotting up to Mr. Hack, Heath trailing behind.

Nearly slamming it on the teacher's desk. "Done."

Mr. Hack turned from grading something to look at the frog that was in the process of making crawling motions but not actually going anywhere.

Then picked it up slowly looking it over, raising an eyebrow at the tentacle leg. Then trying to close the eyelid on the sugar eye unsuccessfully. Holt could smell Heath smoking nervously.

A pressured silence before.

"Good work Mr. Jekyll."

"I helped too" Heath piped up grabbing Holt's shoulder.

"And… Mr. Burns." he seemed obligated to add. Making a check mark by both of their names. "I look forward to your lab report on how you managed so much faster than the rest of your classmates." he growled almost sarcastically like he was incredibly suspicious.

Lab report?

Sounded like something Jackson could deal with.

"Do we get extra points for being fastest?" Heath smiled excitedly flaming up that they passed, clenching his fists close to his chest.

Mr. Hack gave a withering stare that suggested they didn't.

"Either way you managed to make it move. So I guess you pass even after yesterday."

Sweet.

"_Oh disgusting!" _a girlish loud voice brought back his migraine, and Holt actually flinched. Turning to see Cleo with a legitimately bedazzled rabbit in her arms. Well it's ears were at least, with a matching "diamond" on it's cheek as it nibbled at Cleo's wrappings. Her experiment moving slower than a naturally alive creature, but not as slowly at theirs.

"Oh whatever Cleo!" Heath scooped up Holt Jr. protectively "You're just jealous because **we **finished first!"

As with any strong emotion of Heath's, his hands choose that moment to catch fire. Heath looking horrified as their new pet made a disturbing noise before crisping to the floor.

Ghoulia raised a finger and groaned. While Heath saddened wiped his hands off looking at the ashes on the ground "Yeah you're right it probably wasn't gonna last long anyway…"

"Aw man…"

Holt chimed in, actually kind of proud of his work. So much for Crossfade getting a brother. Mourning interrupted by Cleo.

"I hope you're better at DJing than mad science." she scoffed landing their rabbit over to Mr. Hack for inspection.

Holt cracked his knuckles, upset he sometimes had to answer to his best paying client.

"Wouldn't know." he mumbled putting his Jackson mask back on.

Cleo dramatically flipped her hair "Just _get _him there. You _know _what I mean." Then looking him over like there was something wrong with his outfit. He was wearing a different sweater vest, but Holt hurriedly smoothed down his electrified hair incase she was being suspicious. "Come on Ghoulia."

She strut back to her desk. As Ghoulia looked him up and down too, then slowly turned to follow with a suspicious glint.

Holt frowned, headache sliding back with bad emotions. Before Heath interrupted nearly pushing him over, suddenly putting all his weight on Holt's side. "Duuude she is totally angry we finished first way to go."

"Yeah something like that." Holt grinned back as they made their way back to clean up.

"Sorry about Holt Jr. ..." Heath apologised rubbing his neck guiltily.

Holt punched his cousin's shoulder "Mom wouldn't have let me keep him anyway." Eyes sliding to the Mad Science cabinets remembering something? Did Jackson tell him to get more chemicals or… One of those vague actions he felt like he was supposed to do. Glancing at Mr. Hack who seemed to have his hands full.

Nonchalantly putting the jars back before getting close enough to see the cabinets with new padlocks.

His heart unintentionally beat slightly faster. He had to ask Jackson if they still needed stuff to fix them. Hard to forget their problem. Mind less on the solution and more on covering their tracks though. If there were new locks that meant Mr. Hack had noticed something missing at least. Blinking trying to remember if there were always locks.

…

Had he actually ever seen the cabinets?

"Jackson wanna ask if we can leave early?" Heath asked excitedly, slapping a hand on his shoulder breaking him out of his brain issues.

"Totally!"

Making a mental note to try to figure out any way he could push Jackson to finish this faster.

Head still mildly ringing he was glad his headache was getting better, as he followed their cousin back to the front.


	23. Mental Note

_-ow ab-t now?_

InvisiBilly cringed holding his head in his hands and disappearing for a moment.

Two rows behind him his girlfriend Scarah Screams frowned sinking into her chair with guilt. Upset she kept giving him headaches. Till she perked up hearing a loud and clear:

**A bit better. I can hear you at least. **

They were in Dead Languages in dead silence. However quietly reviewing her vocabulary for the class had proven to be far less interesting than testing her telepathy. She was always 'passing notes' mentally with her boy, so breaking the habit had proven to be annoying and difficult. Scarah felt the more she pushed through her own aching brain, the faster she was resuming her normal thought-speak. She wasn't completely sure on that theory but she certainly had less of a migraine than at the start of class.

Unfortunately every time she tried to mentally speak with her boyfriend she seemed to be sharing her sore mind with him too.

Trying to lock in on InvisiBilly so she could at least focus without a million different vocab lists ringing through her open channel.

**Is it hurting you to listen? **InvisiBilly asked, Scarah getting more of an impression off of him. He was looking through his contacts list on his iCoffin. Hunched over and still clearly rubbing his temple. Even if she was the only one who could mentally see it.

_List-ning can always be a headache, wh-t about you. Loud and clear?_

**Mostly. But you're getting better than the start of class. **He replied, but Scarah could sense his head aching from the strain, noting he hadn't reappeared yet. Then again he was about to text, so probably didn't' need to be seen at the moment.

_Sorry to break radio silence I kn-w it's difficult to bear_

**Anything for my ghoul. **He winked and she smiled softly knowing that action was just for her… then again it could have very well been habit of making motions others couldn't see, since he did that often too… but she preferred to think he was winking just for her.

Like how sweet it was that he was helping her reestablish communication.

_Did you tell him I was sorry?_

She could feel him flip the memory open.

**Um. **

_I can tell if you lie. _

**It didn't really… come up. **Then he grunted cringing as her mild annoyance seemed to increase the headache severity.

_Ooh. Sorry… I was just a little annoyed. _

**He was Holt at the time and didn't remember. **InvisiBilly found the right name in his contacts.

Then silence, and thoughts inward in an automated rhythm.

**Reading. Sorry. Um. Like Holt didn't know, that we knew. Didn't seem to know he even came out during all of that. **

Scarah slumped a bit pretending like she was writing to look busy.

_That's not good… Well then again maybe it's normal... _she put her pencil to her mouth resisting the urge to nibble at the end. _I was messing around in there and they already have memory issues as is. I don't know InvisiBilly I don't usually do this sort of…_

**I know it's not exactly your practice sorry for pressuring you into that. **She could feel him straining for opaqueness, momentarily losing focus on the conversation.

_If you're going to start texting him, why are you trying to visify?_

He blushed back to nothingness. **That. Is a very good point. Still surprised I don't get in trouble for texting more often, I mean my phone is clearly active it doesn't take more than a glance to see that. I guess it's all in the body language. **

_You're lucky I'm not a teacher's aide or something. I can always tell who's texting in class. _

**I could always try lying to you and say I was checking the time, if you caught me then. **

Scarah grimaced because complete honesty was something she'd had to live with for awhile, and it wasn't always the best. _You can't lie to me. Sorry~ _

Attempting to sound cheerful about it.

Intrusive thoughts of guilt and pink and blue hair fluttered through their thought-stream.

Both forced silent as InvisiBilly focused all his energy on thinking what to say to Jackson, trying to dismiss

Black and white stripes. Sore back. Flashes of backstage.

_You should ask him how he's doing. Text him asking for his status. I mean my migraine's disappearing; his might be as well. _

InvisiBilly's thoughts soon turned to him more or less transcribing her suggestion into a text for Holt or Jackson. Whoever got it, she wasn't sure who's class it was but InvisiBilly saw Holt last so she assumed him.

_Remind him I'm sorry too. _

**Well I mean they're… he's **he decided on singular pronouns and kept on **In class. **

_Could you find out the class?_

**Oh, I pretty much walked him there. Mad Science I think. **Then stopped. **Why? Are we meeting up with him?**

_Wouldn't mind checking on him in person. _

**Texts are probably fine. **Scarah caught a partial thought that may have possibly been herself in a nurse's outfit, before InvisiBilly coughed loudly **Follow up exam?**

_If he'll allow it, I'd rather speak to Jackson about this matter but, this isn't exactly something we can leave Holt out of. _She scribbled mindlessly on her work, eyeballs and yinyang symbols, trying to think of stuff other than her headache _Thing is we might both be too sore for it... I know you can feel my headache, I don't know if I can actually touch him again for awhile. Even to check up on him. _

**Well what's there to check up on anyway? He's got a headache, you've got a headache, they're both still wonk from their little experiment. Whatever you did, didn't work so…**

_So, I feel awful that I did that to them! I don't know WHAT I did to them. I hope it was just a headache… _

The couple cringed in sync as her stress amped their linked up pain.

She cut the thought speak for a little bit feeling worse about that. Remembering Jackson looking shakey and sick when she left. It was just temporary she was sure though. Still in his condition she didn't want to risk screwing things up worse.

Trying to remind herself it wasn't really her problem, empathy for her peer was still present.

She didn't even know him that well, mostly just he was Frankie's friend. Or well more than friends maybe based on unintentional eavesdropping on both of them... the three of them?

Still. He didn't know her and they'd never really talked but, she probably knew him better than he knew.

Same could be said for a lot of her peers…

**Are you listening?**

_What?! _She sat up straight _Oh sorry. Come again?_

**He texted back. Says **

"**still got a headache thanks to you" winky tongue emote "mostly gone. What exactly did your girlfriend to do the nerd anyway?"**

**So then I explained better how you tried to fix Jackson to him and he texted back. **

"**Nice try. Feels good that someone knows. If only I could tell everyone and get my rep back" then more winky emotes "Jk." **

InvisiBilly sighed and kept reading mentally to Scarah

"**If she can't fix it, know anyone who can? I'm starting to think Jackson has no idea what he's doing. I would ask Ghoulia but then she'd tell Frankie. Frankie is awesome but I think she'd make us tell mom or something."**

**Oh ok he just started sending me pictures of Frankie now… **

InvisiBilly rolled his eyes.

**You got all that?**

_I think so… _Scarah rubbed her temples trying to keep track of the message. Easier if she could get away with texting in class too. _Remind me why we're helping him again?_

**The kindness of our hearts and if he gets in trouble I do. **InvisiBilly made a face **Worse, my keys would be confiscated I bet. **

_What a tragedy... _Scarah smirked sarcastically.

**Um yeah? Then we couldn't make out where ever we wanted? **Followed by a mental cackle that made Scarah hide her face in her hands.

_You can shush _

Then sat up straight looking over a few rows, trying to lock in on someone else suddenly. Checking.

Someone was definitely not working on their vocab and it was sticking out of the mental field like a sore thumb.

_Uhm. I think we forgot to make a plan for someone. Incoming. _

* * *

><p><strong>What's that supposed to mean? <strong>InvisiBilly asked. Scarah was weirdly silent. He looked behind him to see her staring straight at someone else in class, a look of concentration she got whenever she was trying to target someone unfamiliar.

Before he got a text. But nothing appeared on his chat with Holt. It was from…

He looked back at who Scarah was staring at, seeing the same tone of mint green nonchalantly staring at her lap.

How did he forget about Frankie?

_**-Any news on Jackson?**_

InvisiBilly stared at the text message from his _other _green classmate. Realising he'd sort of… made a mistake there.

In trying to figure out what was going on with Jackson he'd definitely set Frankie on his trail.

But what was he supposed to say back?

Give her an answer? Say he didn't know? Set her off the trail by saying

**-yeah i checked in with him he s fine. just **um… He typed a partial text out staring at the phone, then looked around the class, still no one noticed him blatantly texting

**-nothing. its rlly nothing to worry about. we were just being paranoid. :P **

Hitting send. Glad he could think about the things he said for more than a split second before they were sent out unlike thought speak.

_You can't tell her NOTHING she knows something's up!_

Ow. His girlfriend's thought train came in like a hammer to the back of the head. Ever since she strained herself with Jackson, all her thoughts felt like they were making his brain ring. Better not be permanent damage.

**Are you listening to my texts?**

_Not just your texts. Your thoughts. Your texts. Frankie's texts. Frankie's thoughts. Some girl near you who's getting over a break up. A bored teacher. And about 25 vocab lists. But yeah, trying to just listen to your texts though if that's ok. _

InvisiBilly tried not to feel annoyed by her passive aggressive answer, knowing she'd sense that too. She was probably sensing it right now even.

_You know I am. Anyway Frankie doesn't believe you, you just sound suspicious. She's anywhere from sort of believing you to thinking you might be in on something. Which hey at least she's not to far off. _

With his phone on silent he hadn't noticed she'd texted back.

_**-When did you check on him?**_

Well that one was easy, their whereabouts weren't something he'd get in trouble for, even if he hadn't discovered Jackson's new deep dark secret.

-**Lunch **he texted back

_You still sound suspicious._

**How does lunch sound suspicious?**

_I think she was looking for him at lunch. And we were what? Not eating to do what exactly? _

InvisiBilly didn't need to think hard to figure out a cover story.

**We're boyfriend and girlfriend I think Frankie can leave it up to her imagination. **

_William. _

**I just mean making out in the janitor's closet or something gosh. **

_You keep bringing up make outs are you trying to hint at something?_

InvisiBilly allowed his mind open for that one, snickering to himself.

Somewhere behind him his girlfriend sunk into her seat with a hot face.

Frankie finally got back to him.

_**-Where were you during lunch, I couldn't find Jackson either**_

**-oh u kno with Scarah~ i finally caught him and turns out he s fine. **

An invisible finger hovered over send.

_That sounds terrible. _

**What do **_**you**_ **want me to text her? **

_Well she knows there's a problem, maybe tack on something vague?_

InvisBilly rolled his eyes, adding **-just u kno. gettin close to the end of the year. grades are more important… probably stressful for their situation. **

Finally sending that one.

**How was THAT?**

_I mean I would have gone with family problems or him just being a teenage boy being flustered around his crush but, it's alright I suppose. _

**You're hard to please. **

_She knows something's up with both of them, lad. I don't know… well she's reading it now. Ok I DO know she's not convinced Holt's acting so weird because of school. You know her suspicion is probably more Jackson's fault. She seems more worried Holt's sick or something than Jackson being extra confident. _

**I wonder if we could help him practice how to loosen up.**

InvisiBilly publicly mused.

_I've been in there. We can try but I think Jackson is really too embarrassed to even consider. Funny though every time he's around you his thoughts are all on _

**Wishing he could disappear. I can tell. **

Though it was common for his friends to wish they had invisibility too. Their motives were usually for sneaking around or superpower reasons.

Jackson seemed to give off the impression he just didn't want to be noticed. Couldn't be easy with his normie skin being super obvious.

Oh Frankie had texted back already.

_**-You were with Scarah when you found him so? Do you KNOW he's troubled by school or is that just what he said. **_

This conversation wasn't going where he wanted at all.

He knew what she meant but didn't want to answer. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned he was with his mind-reading girlfriend at the time.

**-whatcha mean?**

* * *

><p>Frankie sat in the corner of class, nonchalantly holding her iCoffin under the table looking at InvisiBilly's text. She was pretty sure he knew exactly what she meant but she would play his game.<p>

_**-You were with Scarah? **_

Unless he was lying about that.

**-**_**Did she confirm that's what his problem this week is or? I mean it's not exactly a secret she picks up on like everything. **_

Sending the message, squinting at the empty seat a few rows ahead of her, seeing his phone light up in response. Remembering that maybe she could ask Scarah herself?

Wasn't she in this class or something, subtly glancing around the room for her skintone. Seeing a pronouncedly studious Scarah looking incredibly intent on her vocab.

She could pick up on like everything right?

_**Scarah?**_

She mentally tested staring at her. Then texting her an alert but she didn't see her phone out, and didn't hear any buzz or ring.

_**SCARAH. **_

Could you change the volume on a mental message? Apparently not…?

Frankie bit her lip unnoticed trying not to look at her but was anxious. Scarah would know, she didn't know why she didn't think of this sooner. Wishing she had her around when their headmistress was being impersonated. Really she was probably the quickest person to figure out any evil plot at this school, and well…

With a history of imposters, replacements, and just general weirdness at this school she was worried Jackson and Holt were in that direction. He could be anywhere from sick to a body snatcher, and she didn't want to go on a date with someone that wasn't even the real deal.

Clinging worriedly to InvisiBilly's excuse it just didn't sound right. And she was really wishing she could figure it out sometime soon.

She pulled out a blank skullette shaped note from her purse, quickly writing

_**-Scarah I'm trying to "talk" look up or something.**_

Passing it to the student next to her and pointing to Scarah subtly before looking like she was back at work.

Noting she received another text from InvisiBilly.

**-i asked her and she just said something about his privacy or something. im her bf but doesnt mean she tells me everything about what everyones thinkin **

Hm… she wasn't sure how to interpret that one either. Could have been anything from Scarah was in on whatever this was too… to the truth, or wasn't even there to begin with. Or… she did know and maybe Frankie could ask.

Then again if it was something worrisome, wouldn't Scarah let someone know? Maybe if this was the truth then Jackson really was fine.

She could trust Scarah right?

She glanced at her equally pale green class mate, seeing the note reach her desk, and sit there. Scarah apparently not noticing or something. Man, for someone with an invisible boyfriend she certainly was unobservant. Frankie, looked at the teacher. Then looked for something to maybe throw at her.

Getting a great idea instead. As she popped off her trusted hand and let it do it's work. Vaguely guiding it but when it was off her it almost felt like it had a mind of its own.

Subtly bypassing classmates it crawled up to Scarah's desk and tapped her. The telepath gave it a withering stare as it pointed at her paper note.

Frankie sat up straight suddenly to a mental heavy sigh echo into her brain, along with the ache of a headache.

_What do you want Frankie?_

Scarah's annoyed voice slowly rang through. She looked over to see Scarah looking at her directly, a new hand in her grip.

Frankie gave a mental nervous giggle.

_**Hey there! I see you uh…! Got my note?**_

A second long mental sigh.

Frankie wondered why it was sort of giving her a headache, though maybe Scarah just had one and that's why she didn't want to talk. She didn't really know much about how that worked.

_Yes. _Scarah answered going back to doodling on her page _What's your question?_

_**Do you know why Jackson and Holt are acting so weird? **_Frankie asked concerned, deciding to go straight to the point.

_Yes. _

Frankie sparked excitedly, waiting for more of an answer. Then not recieving one.

_**Voltageous..! **_She tacked on nervously _**Mind telling me what? **_

_Yes. I do mind. _

_**Oh… **_Frankie pouted. She thought she could finally get to the bottom of this. Maybe she still could.

There was a silence while Scarah continued not to contact her. Frankie frowned, even if they weren't like super close they were still friends.

_**Scarah… Are you ok?**_

_Just a headache, sorry if I don't sound super cheerful right now. _

_**And… is Holt ok?**_

_Your lads are fine don't worry about it. _

Frankie twiddled with her bare wrist, wondering if she should call her hand back.

_**If they're fine, why can't I know?**_

_Frankie, I can't go around telling everyone what I pick up on. It's his right to privacy. Imagine if I let anyone know what anyone was thinking?_

She sounded all sighy, and exasperated so Frankie wasn't sure if she should press on, feeling kind of bad for asking her so much anyway when she seemed kind of tired or something.

She could see Scarah just staring at the desk now. Looking troubled from her brain ache and probably concentrating on projecting herself. Still something seemed up.

Though she was probably telling the truth… if she was in on it too

_I'm not "in on" anything. _Scarah interrupted her thoughts.

Frankie jolted up, feeling hot in the face, forgetting it wasn't just thoughts she was trying to send out, but Scarah could kind of pick up on whatever.

Denying it would be exactly what someone in on it would say though…

_There's no conspiracy… _Scarah looked directly over to her making a face of concern, and gently passing her hand to the students between them.

_Holt's fine. Jackson's fine. I know you're concerned, I get that. I get that you two like eachother. I get that you're worried about him, but you don't have to save the school this time, lass. _

Scarah gave a smile as Frankie received her hand back, popping it back into her wrist. Trusting her at least for now. But still biting her lip knowing something was up.

_**If you know how I feel then… is there anything I can do to help him?**_

Scarah blinked. Looking at the teacher. Then back to her notes, then to someone else in class.

She was silent for awhile. Leaving Frankie confused. Was she talking to someone else?

She waited quietly for a response, beginning to pack up her things as she heard the rustle of students preparing for the bell.

_Frankie you still there?_

She looked over to see Scarah closing her eyes with a hand to her head concentrating. Probably harder to broadcast and focus with the sudden activity in the room.

_**Totes. **_She listened closely.

_Back off a little. Not to sound rude, that's the best way to put it. Walk a little lighter, focus on your own problems for now. If it's still bugging him in like a couple weeks, then maybe it's serious. But well. _Frankie blushed at her chuckle _You two aren't an item. Yet. Don't need to be so into his business. _

_**Thought you weren't a fortuneteller. **_Frankie smirked.

_Oi, even if I couldn't tell that you three have been day dreaming about your little Sunday date since 4th Period. I'd keep an eye on the "Romance of the Day" section of Ghostly Gossip, sounds like someone overheard. _

Frankie hid her face in her hands. Wondering who in the friendgroup it was that let that detail slip.

The bell rang throughout the class, and Frankie took her time to stand up, mentally connecting with Scarah being weirdly exhausting sometimes.

_**But they're really ok? **_She pressed one last time, thinking about how off putting Holt being so quiet was.

_I'm not going to say, __**nothing **__is wrong but. _Scarah slowly put her own things away _Nothing you need to worry about. _

_**No shapeshifters?**_

_Nor podpeople. Just. Stop. Investigating. _

For some reason her command unsettled her. Frankie swallowed. Trying not to think about it.

She wasn't sure how far Scarah's range was but maybe she could think about it more if she left into the crowd.

_**Ok, thanks Scarah. It's a relief. See you later! **_

With that, she half rushed out of the room trying to do everything in her power to think of ghoulebrities and her Sunday date, until she hit the stream of the crowded hallway. Walking down the hall for good measure. Then sighing.

She didn't know who to trust. She knew she was being paranoid but whenever she trusted her gut she was right. Shadow people. Imposter Bloodgood. All of it.

Stressed she hurried into the ghouls bathroom, going to add a bit of water to hairbrush, working on trying to tame her static filled flyaways.

For once she wanted to believe she wouldn't have to save the school or anything but if a storm was brewing she wanted to be prepared.

Looking at her reflection from one blue eye to the green. Reminding her of her crush's duality.

Scarah was her friend but she could still be in on it. If there was an "it". Gosh she wanted there not to be an "it"!

If she was. If there was something up with her too or she just knew way more than she was letting on. She'd have to be more careful about what she thought, or more conscious about who was around her.

Or just…

Believe her.

Why was her instinct telling her Scarah was lying then…

Frankie could be the most naive girl in school but she was learning fast. People had tricked her before. Taken advantage of her lack of unlife experience… Well not this time.

She took a breath, going to touch up her lipstick.

Even if Scarah was telling the truth. She would find out whatever tiny problem Holt was having.

If Scarah was lying, then she'd find out whatever she was lying about.

She just had to be careful.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" InvisiBilly approached his girlfriend who had rushed to the door and was looking worriedly out into the busy hallway. Still hovering in the empty classroom.<p>

"I'm…" Scarah bit her lip "Not sure."

"I thought you were always sure."

"She ran off. Something was on her mind. She was trying to cover it, I only caught some of it. before she... " Scarah looked up at her boyfriend, pupiless eyes looking through him. Though not like she could tell where she was looking, he hadn't become opaque though. "InvisiBilly I'm worried. I don't think she completely believed me…"

"See, I told you it's hard to convince her…" he looked at his failed texts to her, pulling out a phone and suddenly popping into existance "She can be worse than Spectra when she gets whiff of something juicy."

"Come on. We should find Holt." Scarah took the crook of InvisiBilly's elbow towing him into the hall.

"What for?" InvisiBilly asked dodging a student who rudely brushed passed him in a hurry "Yo I'm not even see-through what is wrong with people!" he complained loudly for his bumper to hear and rant to Scarah, getting over the stumble.

"InvisiBilly." Scarah rerouted his attention.

"Right sorry. Why do we need to talk to him?" Nearly hiding behind his girflriend to cut them through the crowd.

"Frankie's still on his trail I want to warn him." Scarah huffed.

"And check up on him." her boyfriend added.

"That too. It's Jackson I want to talk to most though. It's him." She thought back to who Frankie was most worried about. "He's the problem. He doesn't know how to act outgoing. Being reserved is easy to fake but everyone notices when Mr. Announcer isn't announcing himself. That and…"

"And what?"

She made a face "I want to see if he's close to actually curing himself. He refuses to get an adult and that makes me worried. It's not just about getting in trouble, he could still hurt himself. Holt's not trusting Jackson's idea for self-fixing either and…"

Scarah paused, InvisiBilly bumping into her a bit as she tried to orient herself looking for Mad Science hallway, the crowd's collective chattering away in her tired skull.

"Not to get all psychologist but it could be a sign of self doubt."

"Self doubt?" InvisiBilly squinted "They aren't the same person though."

Scarah was quiet. Before finally speaking up, starting to walk more determinedly again "Jackson and Holt are complicated. More complicated than I think even they're aware of." she looked at InvisiBilly, her eyes gleaming a bit like a scientist as she smiled "Avoiding the fact that you'd get drug down with whatever charges he'd get for this whole mess… I don't mind getting this close to them. It's a fascinating opportunity."

"Too bad _you _can't cook up a cure."

"I'm a telepath not a chemist." she gave a sideways smile, holding InvisiBilly's hand. "Wonder if your family could help."

"I'm 90% sure all they know how to do is turn things invisible. Which isn't actually as hard as you'd think it would be." InvisiBilly gripped her hand, trusting her judgement though. "I know I'm the last person to snitch but maybe if we could tell _just _his mom and leave school authority out of it she could help. Isn't she a doctor?"

"That's an idea, but he seemed really against it for some reason." Scarah's mind suddenly flashed a blue female face that caught her offguard, something residual from her mental link from him. Her jaw clenched and she shook the proceeding headache away. InsiviBilly put his hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"We might need to tell someone eventually." InvisiBilly warned as he scanned the crowd for bright red, or mustard yellow.

"I know. For now we'll just watch. And help." Scarah slowed to look too, adding in mental relay too, sifting through voices in her head.

"If… it gets any worse though right?" InvisiBilly made sure to check for purple ghosts in their proximity. "We'll tell someone?"

"Aye... Till then though."

InvisiBilly would have preferred if she said 'If then' or something, 'till' made it sound so ominous.

"You don't think it could get any worse, right?"

Scarah was silent, catching sight of something. "I'll get back to you on that one, lad."


	24. No Running

Holt started off to swim class, not planning on handing it off to Jackson any time soon. He didn't care if the dweeb was supposed to be in that class now, Holt was going to attempt to stay anyway.

Also unsure if he _could _change.

Remembering before class. That strange pain.

He still had a headache and it was a good excuse to push nerd-time off til later. Even normie flavored, Holt figured he could still get away with his usual activities.

Party no matter what.

Or at least _try _to have fun.

Heath kept ignoring him last period though, and Mr. Hack seemed very against the idea of the two of them leaving class early unsupervised.

He had spent the free time in his class just feeling pent up. Only outlet the invisible dude who kept ignoring his texts.

_And the only other person who knew of his icky situation. _

Speaking of which.

Holt grinned seeing InvisiBilly's familar face making his way through the crowd towards him.

He waved with a loud "**Yo!**"

About to start dashing towards him in greeting before a debilitating migraine slapped into his skull.

The sharp white flash from before class returned nearly knocking him unconscious.

* * *

><p>He opened his eyes to see the school's ceiling, the whir of a crowded hallway still buzzing around him.<p>

Fuzzy vision coming into better (but not perfect) focus, to a light blue face, and adjacent green female staring down at him with concern. He thought he could almost see through the blue one.

Scarah. InvisiBilly. He rocked up on his own holding his head, and quickly wiping a sleeve at Jackson's stupid watery face. "Uh! How long was I out?"

"Like three seconds." InvisiBilly tried helping him to his feet, getting shrugged off again as Holt did it on his own. "Literally"

Right. It was still passing period. The hallway sounding louder and sharper, especially without the buffer of his headphones. Though he was against the wall now, either having moved there in his fall or the couple drug him there.

"S-sorry…" a soft Irish voice became his focus. Squinting at Scarah as she handed him Jackson's glasses.

He reached out to receive them, then flinched his hand away as a softer but still painful white flash hit him again, along with vertigo. He held his head.

Holt seemed to glare at her.

"Sorry for _what…_?" he grumbled. Genuinely asking but part of him knew.

"Scarah-" InvisiBilly began to warn.

"Sorry for the migraine." She bit her lip lightly.

"**You're **doing this?!" Holt snapped backing away a bit.

This was the first time he really saw her today.

InvisiBilly said otherwise.

Part of his body said otherwise.

It was like he wanted to run.

He didn't want to touch her or look at her actually.

"Well I was trying to call out for you but it seems like…" She stepped back looking nervous "Maybe your mind is still sensitive."

"_**Ya think?**_" Holt rubbed his head with a frown, messing up his hair a bit. "So like… you were trying to …"

"Just contact you... I'm so sorry it's just habit." her face was kind of scrunched up with empathy "I always talk to people mentally I didn't think it'd hurt you again."

Right.

_Again_.

**She **was the reason he was all messed up before class. And well also the reason his migraine had come back possibly worse than before.

Well now he probably definitely couldn't transform through _this _headache.

Scarah suddenly looked worried "What do you mean by that?"

Holt stiffened up. Feeling like his privacy was invaded.

He opened his mouth to speak but instead rubbed his head and started walking towards Swim.

Scarah and InvisiBilly scurried after him.

"No seriously! Holt! Er-" Scarah looked anxiously around the halls "_Jackson_. You thought something about transforming" she grabbed his elbow.

Holt immediately shoved her off, flinching.

"**Don't touch me**!"

he growled, head pounding.

Scarah slowed down but InvisiBilly sped up. "Hey what's the big idea?!" he asked dragging her after Holt's quick gait.

Holt's face felt hot. His head felt hot. His headache hurt. Fun guy, or not he still got angry, especially when freakin' telepaths invaded his brain. _And hurt him_. This stupid migraine not subsiding, wondering if maybe he wasn't around Scarah it'd go away again, but he had a feeling it wasn't because of that.

"The big idea." he nearly shouted back "Is your stupid girlfriend…! Messed me up or something!" he almost tripped over another white flash.

Continuing.

"I don't know _what _you did at lunch. I don't-" he grimaced "_Can't _remember." slowing down a bit looking around the hallway for people he might know, incase they saw his outburst.

Though it was pretty much empty at this point, closer to the pool.

"I just know. I woke up on the ground hurting, and didn't know _why_." which while wasn't super uncommon in his life, this time had been different "I thought maybe the _idiot _got us beat up again or something but no it was **you**." he looked at Scarah who looked hurt but more concerned than anything.

Another white flash but this time he didn't stumble just went to rest against a locker a moment. "According to the Invisible Man here, trying to 'fix us'" he air quoted "Without even asking me, I might add."

He kicked the locker a little "Suddenly both of you guys know about this… stupidness and I can't-" he stopped there abruptly.

Not like he wanted to transform or anything, but whatever the potion did to them wasn't helped by whatever Scarah did to them. Or refreshed whatever that was.

He crossed his arms looking to Scarah for maybe more apologies.

She opened her mouth pausing, then move a little closer "I'm still… so sorry Holt…" she said his name quieter "I didn't want to hurt either of you it was just sort of a side effect…"

"Yeah it's not her fault. I made her do it" InvisiBilly started "I thought if it was just screwed up in your brain maybe she could help." he shrugged. "And hey it _was _getting better. Until-"

Scarah kicked her boyfriend's leg.

Yeah whatever… Holt avoided eye contact with Scarah. If you could call it that. Her pupiless eyes kind of weirded him out.

She looked at him oddly, then went to briefly touch his arm, that he wildy flinched away, scooting down the locker. Holt made a face vaguely confused by his jumpiness.

"I think I may have done something…" Scarah added "You seem."

"I'm not afraid of you." Holt huffed. Scarah grabbed both his arms, holding him still. As Holt felt extremely uncomfortable. Just something about being around her was making his skin crawl.

"I know you don't remember but during lunch today I was in there." she explained to him calmly. "I tried my best to fix you but I may have just ... " she gave a light laugh "For lack of better word traumatized you?"

"_Cute._" Holt shifted away from her grip. "Doesn't matter anyway I don't remember whatever you-"

"You wouldn't have to lad. It's more of a… subconscious thing" she looked at InvisiBilly briefly maybe for support "I think I just kind of touched some of the wrong places, and part of you still remembers. And doesn't like it. That's why you're so uncomfortable around me right now."

Holt wondered if there was a word for negative familiarity you couldn't remember.

"I'm used to having feelings about people I don't remember it's ok." he retorted flatly. Then jerked a hand away from her, running it up his dumb floppy bangs, wanting hair gel or something.

The warning bell rang, but he didn't care if he was late for swim.

Then cleared his throat forcing a smile, or more of a sarcastic sneer at this point "Was there a reason you were brain blasting me down the hall or?"

Scarah looked embarrassed finally letting him go as he shuffled at a slower pace off towards his next class, considering skipping again.

"Oh uh ironically I was hoping I could give you a check up and see if you had…" she hissed "Recovered?"

Holt actually chuckled at that.

"I think you just made it worse" he heard whispered.

"Yes I'm aware of that InvisiBilly thank you."

Being able to hear people whispering was weird.

"Don't think you can just walk off though." a sharper tone directed at him.

Holt looked back at the couple, raising an eyebrow "Aren't _you two _supposed to be getting to your own class or something?"

"Don't change the subject." Scarah folded her arms "What was that about not transforming?"

Holt smiled "Ah, _mon amie~" _

"I'm Irish."

"Figure of speech." he continued "I think you screwed us up more than you thought" he started to walk backwards, looking at her as he sarcastically straightened his bowtie "So like I said. Woke up, still looking like my ugly evil twin, everything hurts. Don't know why. So of course I try to just let said evil twin take the wheel _buuut_." he shrugged "It hurt too much or something; I couldn't stand listening to the music." he then suddenly frowned "That sounded really wrong to say."

Holt dramatically kissed one of his headphones "Jacklyn's **lameness **must be infecting me~"

Scarah looked really worried "I… It's probably just the headache. That went away, I'm sure transforming will come back." she seemed concerned though "How'd you change into you then?"

Holt shrugged "Maybe it's easier to go from him to me" then nearly sang "I _aaaam _the "good one" now, right~?" Going back to walking forward before ended up tripping over a gremlin or something. "Guess we'll see~"

"Holt I'm still worried though." the halls were empty she had no fear of using his name, her boyfriend seemed to have disappeared even...

"Don't be."

"No really, please let me take another look at you later?"

"Naw I'm alright." he winked. The pool entrance was at the end of this hall. "Unless you actually CAN fix this dealio? But if that was your best shot."

"It was." Scarah sighed looking at a clock they passed by. She did need to get to her own classes.

"Then I don't need you in there any more than necessary kapeesh?" he pushed open a double door that had a mermaid icon printed on it. "No offense." he smiled with a face that wasn't his, then ran off.

Leaving Scarah alone at the end of the hall.

Well not _really._

She grabbed an invisible hand and started towards her own classes as the final bell rang. Tardy for sure. Devising a plan to sneak into class unnoticed. Not hard for either of them with their powers.

"Why'd you disappear on me?"

"I didn't know what else to add…" InvisiBilly sheepishly replied. Then added "I hope he was only using that voice because we knew it was really him."

"He'd better not be forgetting, they're both idiots…" Scarah mused, then facepalmed "I forgot to warn him about Frankie! Shoot!" she looked back worriedly towards the pool doors that they were quiet aways away from now.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. When's the next time he's gonna see her anyway? Cleo's party?"

"I forgot to check for that too…" she made a face thinking about how Frankie was possibly even more on his trail now "I'll shoot him a quick text or something." then stopped at a hallway they had to take in different directions, leaning up to kiss solid air. Feeling his arms around her shoulders, she smiled pulling off. "See you after school." she smiled "Good luck on sneaking into class."

InvisiBilly visified and saluted "I'm an expert don't worry. Same with you."

"Helps when you _know _when the teacher's looking at the door." she held her hand up to her temple for emphasis. Then with a quick wave ran off to her own class.

* * *

><p>"Wow! Jackson! I didn't know you had this class!"<p>

Holt turned from his position in the damp locker room to give an amused look.

He was dressing out for swim, having given a quick wave to Lagoona before she could yell at him for being in the wrong class. Nearby a cloth boy slowly unbuttoned his makeshift varsity jacket and watched Holt confusedly.

Holt coughed "Um _yeah _Hoodude. Don't you know? I'm standing in for Holt."

Hoodude seemed legitimately concerned by this "Oh no is he sick or something?! Is that why Frankie took him to the nurse yesterday…?"

Holt squinted making a face, then just shook his head untying his bowtie. "I'll just wait for you to work on that one…"

By the time he'd sat down on the locker room bench and had finished unbuttoning Jackson's bloody yellow shirt a loud

"OH RIGHT YOU'RE THE SAME PERSON!" Rang out through the locker room.

Holt smiled letting his sleeves fall down off his arms, shaking off his dorkwear. "Well. More accurately we have the same _body_~"

"Oh yeah, I can tell!" Hoodude sang. Holt turned to see his cloth friend staring at his shirtless form. It didn't bother him though, he just smiled still amused by the airheadedness. Hoodude continued to run his mouth, taking off his own single article of clothing. "Sorry about that! I guess I just forget sometimes or something. Head full of fluff after all~"

Holt pulled on his red tank top with checkerboard flaming skull, looking down, somehow it just didn't match him as well in this form…

"So why did _you_ come to swim today?" Hoodude asked curiously pulling on his own pair of black swim trunks, rimmed with their school's colors of magenta.

Holt took off his pants "Uhhh." he squinted feeling like telling him he had a headache would just incite more questions of why, and further pestering "Holt was tired." he shrugged, pulling on his gray board shorts, looking at the orange flames lining up the sides.

"Holt gets tired?"

"I guess so…" Holt topped off his awesome fashion choices by replacing Jackson's dorky glasses with his smokin' hot awesome neon orange flaming ones. Appropriately called sunglasses.

He turned around to Hoodude, smiling with a show-off sort of stance "What do you think~?"

Holt asked for fashion advice.

Hoodude stood up and cocked his head, looking him over from head to toe.

"Umm…" he pushed grey fingers through his blue strips of cloth that he considered hair. "The shades might be over doing it…"

"What. No." Holt pushed them up his nose "You just don't know what's obviously _hot. _I thought you were good at this fashion junk."

"I am. You can't pull those off."

"I can pull anything off!" Holt crossed his arms "It's like 90% confidence right?"

"Holt might be able to pull off almost everything but even he couldn't work those glasses.." Hoodude shrugged "Which reminds me… I've been meaning to have a talk with him about his pants…"

Holt tried to ignore that comment because his pants were awesome.

"Whatever I don't know why I'm listening to the guy who only wears a jacket to school…" Holt stuffed all their stuff in his locker, closing it before hearing the whirr of his phone vibrating inside.

Hoodude looked too.

"I'll get it later, too much trouble…" Holt rolled his eyes nabbing his flame print towel as he lead the way out to the pool.

Their conversation had landed them as somewhat late among the class, all the girls crowded around the pool mingling in their swim wear. The leniency of this class and the school's dress code showing through with everyone favoring personal swim suits over any sort of uniform. Which was optional save for Fridays when they were required to atleast get in the pool, to maintain the qualifications for this class to exist.

Remedial Swimming, or as Holt put it: blow-off-pool-party-class, consisted of a handful of female students who probably didn't belong in the water like Rochelle's nonbuoyant form. With just him and Hoodude to make up the male populus. Though he wasn't even sure if he could count Hoodude in that department, on account of him being innocent Frankie's boyfriend pillow brought to life.

And the entirety of said small class suddenly quieted to look at Holt.

Venus started coughing, and kicked at Lagoona who was already pool bound.

She turned making a face "Jackson…"

Holt tried to maintain his confidence, getting closer and scratching his hair "Yeah?" he asked nonchalant like he couldn't see what the problem was.

"Where's Holt, love?" she asked starting to pull herself up to the pool's edge.

Holt shrugged "Maybe you should call him or something?"

Lagoona gave a flat laugh "You know what I mean, Mister. You aren't exactly signed up for this class."

Holt chuckled at the bizarreness of his new situation "Yeah I am I just used my stage name to register~" well not entirely untrue.

He suddenly straightened up alert to a surprised "Wow." hearing the familiar voice.

Frankie emerging from the small class group looking at him with second-hand embarrassment "Jackson…?" she looked at him with confusion. Scratching at the layers of electrical tape hiding her bolts, or keeping her head on. "Why are you here… and wearing… that? Exactly?"

"It's my swim wear." he smiled without shame. It wasn't his clothes making him feel the edge of anxiety but his pale skin. Holt _could _pull off anything, but he wasn't sure anyone could pull off "normie".

Lagoona heaved herself out of the water, standing up, and crossing her arms "When I asked you to go change in the locker rooms I didn't mean your clothes."

Was that what she yelled at him when he came in?

"You guysss give him a break!" Hoodude cut in, holding onto Holt's bicep protectively. Then held a hand up to his mouth like he was telling a secret "Holt's tired today." he explained like it was hush hush for some reason.

Lagoona and Frankie exchanged looks. His other green classmate came over closer to listen to the discussion, Venus finger combing her pink hair distractedly. "Umm Holt doesn't get tired… everyone knows that…" she pointed out, sharp teeth chewing at her lip as she looked Holt over in a oddly angry way. Maybe she wasn't fond of humans.

"Yeah he ..._can_." Holt shot back defensively. She had a point though he never let the party die unless he was transformed back, everyone fell asleep, or he passed out after too much funny punch at a party.

"You're all just stuck with me today because I'm not changing"

As another sharp pang to the brain reminded him why he didn't want to try for the moment.

"Jackson." Lagoona started.

Holt scoffed "Oh come on, Lagoona. We don't even wear uniforms, I think you can let me have _this._"

Frankie cut in "That's not the point Jackson…" she had her arms crossed "This is Holt's class period, and he's our friend. I know you have your issues but you can't just steal his time like this."

"Who said he even wants to be here…" He answered a little too quickly. "Look, just continue like normal, pretend I'm not even here."

"We do not have to pretend…" a French accent spoke up from behind him, he turned to see Rochelle holding his portable stereo they usually used when Holt got in the water.

"No one asked you, Rochelle…" he growled back. Before listening to a quiet.

"See what I mean…?"

He turned to Frankie's quiet voice, but she looked up like she wasn't expecting him to hear her.

Lagoona was looking straight at him with a worried expression.

Geez, the whole class was like mobbing him, Iris leaving the poolside to see what the commotion was, eyeing his get up and joining Venus's side. He got why everyone else wanted the Holtster back. _He was awesome after all._ But Iris never seemed to like him either way. Frowning distorted her green freckles, as she was quietly filled in by Venus as to what was going on.

Holt didn't see what the big deal was, but in a way it was nice that his friends had his back. Guess his parties really were jammin' enough to make everyone prefer his face over Jackson's. Just not the best time for that, his head pounding, and feeling uneasy still.

Frankie took his arm and pulled him away from the group to talk to him privately, while he heard faint voices of what sounded like the class debating on whether or not they should let him stay.

"Jackson…"

"What?" Holt pushed his sunglasses to his head, feeling a little tingly just from being around her, though the damp room and Frankie's DIY insulation seemed to prevent her literal buzz.

"Are you ok?"

Holt scoffed "How many times are you going to ask me that, Frankie~?" he grinned. Only causing her expression to deepen. He stopped smiling.

"Where were you during lunch?"

Huh.

Where _was _he during lunch. Thinking back to it instinctively, only earned him another sharp white flash. He suppressed the grunt of pain, but Frankie seemed to notice his subtle flinch.

Right.

He'd just even had a whole argument with the girl about this.

_Scarah… _

Though hey he wasn't lying if he just said

"I don't remember actually." he shrugged "Wasn't my time I guess." Then smiled remembering _before _lunch. Leaning in.

"If I recall correctly, that was _your _fault Miss Stein~"

Glad he had muffins in that class. Whatever Jackson did with InvisiBilly and his mystery crew hadn't seemed to have supplemented his belly at all. Alter egos skipping meals had to be one of the more annoying parts of his condition.

She bit a fingernail, looking at the pool like she was thinking. Holt distracted by how pretty her blueish face was in here, illuminated by the water.

Opening his mouth to mention how she should remember to transform him back if she was going to talk to the other side briefly, but then stopped himself.

If he ever got out of this situation, her slipping up and leaving him out was usually to his advantage.

"Frankie!" Holt waited for her to look back up in attention. He smiled sweetly "How about you and me go convince Lagoona into letting me stay? Pretty please~?"

Frankie grimaced "Eehhh. Listen…"

Aw man.

Well he couldn't blame her choosing his beautiful face over the nerd's…

She got in close putting her hand on his forearm "Don't take it personally but I think the rest of the class is right. Doesn't Holt only have like 3 classes?"

Two actually but lunch kind of counted.

Two and a half.

"If it's about fairness to you" he started thinking fast to his morning "I didn't come out today until second period" he pointed out.

"What? Really?"

"Yeah don't you remember in…" he was blanking on Jackson's 2nd period class name "Math, this morning? I only came in when he was avoiding you. He totally stole first period today. Doesn't it seem only fair that I get to pool party today in exchange?" That sounded solid.

"You do actually kind of have a point there…" Frankie mumbled before Lagoona broke in with Rochelle by her side.

"Yeah except it's still Holt's class, mate."

"My classmate?"

Rochelle corrected "Proper time and place for him. No?"

"Now hurry up, we should have started laps 10 minutes ago." Lagoona cut back in. "I swear sometimes…" she was holding the stereo, now fiddling on it for the switch to turn it on.

Holt's eyes widened.

Looking at Rochelle flaring her wings.

Puffing up like she was daring him to steal the radio.

"Haha sorry Frankie!" he quipped before making a break for it.

Flat out running away as fast as he possibly could in flip flops.

Unknowingly cutting this class for the second time.

He sped up hearing Lagoona's shrill whistle cut through his still tender mind.

Commotion from his peers.

And a dreadful sound on the chase.

Crap.

A hard heavy clack clack clack.

His heart quadrupled in speed as he beelined for the door. Hearing his shades jostle off and hit the floor.

"Jackson Jekyll!" yelled Rochelle a few yards behind "No! Running! _By! The! __**Pool!" **_

He squeaked around a bunch of life jackets. Sandals sliding on the wet floor. His hands hit the tile but he pushed himself up.

The door was literally 20 feet away.

He totally would have made it.

If he wasn't hit by the supernatural sensation of being kicked in the stomach.

"Oof!" he stumbled, slowing enough that he was suddenly tackled by a surmountable amount of living stone.

Not rolling but straight out slamming into the hard ground.

* * *

><p>"Jackson, are you ok?"<p>

Pain.

He couldn't see anything.

Someone rolled him over.

"Ughh…" he held his head where he hit the pool tile.

"I may have overdone it…I do not know my own weight sometimes…"

"Jackson are you ok?"

"My name's…" he began to correct "Ow…"

Venus's voice "Did he say his name was ow?"

Oh his eyes were closed.

He opened them to see Frankie's beautiful angelic face staring down at him.

"I'm really sorry about this…"

He flinched picking up on the sound of a beat. Migraine and new suspected concussion getting worse.

"Nnghn…!" he curled up holding his head as it was suddenly turned up enough to overwhelm him.

Stomach turning.

Chills taking over.

A fever crawling up his back.

He heard voices over the music but at the moment he couldn't fully comprehend.

"S-stop!" he tried to beg. Everything tingling in the worst way. He swallowed down the ache trying to overcome it. Shaking more instead.

"Ah!" his skin erupted in flames. Not subsiding yet. Feeling too hot. As he tried his best to give into it. Being painfully more aware than usual of his body changing.

Groggily holding a hand in front of his face to watch.


	25. Make a Splash

Jackson didn't usually awake to this much misery.

Someone was surely hitting his skull with a hammer repeatedly.

Ringing a consistent whine in his ears.

Subsiding very slowly to a guitar solo that lined up with the thrum of torment he was going through.

"Is it supposed to take that long?"

"Why was he … seizing like that?"

"I don't know. You guys know him better, that's the first time I've seen it happen up close…"

He squinted at the grey dimness, his vision was letting in.

He was on his back in a very uncomfortable place.

Soft hands smelling of formaldehyde and mint perfume slowly lifted his head.

Something squishy was put under his sore cranium.

"We may have overdone it."

Mostly female voices.

"This is all my fault I hit him too hard…"

"Well he was making a break for it, you needed to act."

"It may have been better just to let him skip, guys..."

A guy speaking he was pretty sure… he knew it from somewhere.

"Non. Then I would have just tackled him later."

What was going on?

Vision blurring to three green faces over him.

"Frankie?" he asked squinting. "I can see three of you…"

"I have pink hair doofus."

"See he's racist in this form too, I told you."

"Iris shush he just hit his head." Frankie's voice.

Was that why it hurt? His body felt sore too. Everything coming too, vision snapping back, he sat up woozy.

Then held his belly, that especially tender.

"Why does it feel like I got punched in the gut…?" he asked, head ringing was one thing, but that was weirdly specific. He hoped they actually had an answer because there was always the chance it'd happened outside this class.

"Because Iris kicked me in the chest…"

"Hoodude!"

Jackson jumped realizing that came directly from behind, turning slowly around to see he'd been laying on Hoodude's legs like a pillow.

"What?! You did!"

"I was just trying to slow him down for Rochelle."

"Oui, merci."

Well he could see everything ok now, though he was missing his glasses. He just wished everything didn't hurt so much.

A puff of hot steamy air breezed by and he heard a metallic English accented voice.

"You appear to have sprung a bit of a leak, Holt" she offered him a roll of toilet paper that she had apparently drifted off to get for him.

Jackson could tell, holding the tissue to his lightly bleeding nose. Looking gratefully up at Robecca. He didn't know she was in this class...

Looking around at everyone actually. Slowly getting a grip on his situation.

"Well that's the only place he's bleeding so I say he's fine." Venus shrugged.

"Yeah I don't really want to send you two off to the nurse again. We're trying to keep him _in _class remember?" Lagoona gently reminded her friend, as Frankie kneeled over him and felt the side of his head where he'd hit the ground. It was tender but not that awful.

"Do you hit your head a lot?" Frankie asked, since it seemed almost a habit of his lately.

Jackson thought back to the night prior, hitting his head on the bed frame.

Then shrugged.

Soft cloth fingers squeezed his head, hands coming from behind.

"Awww he really _is _tired…"

Jackson pulled the boy's hands slowly off, trying not to be too weirded out by the action "Hoodude…"

"What?"

Rochelle offered a hand that he took as she helped him to his feet. Nosebleed subsiding.

Then hissed holding his head as Lagoona blew her whistle loudly.

The gargoyle casting an apologetic glance as she trailed after her classmates back to the pool. Frankie remained with him, holding a radio and looking at him expectantly.

Jackson started a forced smiled, but turned genuine for Franke.

"Uh. Hi." He began sort of awkwardly.

Frankie grimaced back as she was the one remaining with him, "Oh uh… here.." she handed off the radio to him so he could control it. Maybe thinking he'd want it louder or on a different channel. It was loud enough though, especially in the echoey room.

Frankie wore a white swimsuit with black bolt print, and some sort of blue lightning rubbery affixation that melded into shoulder straps. As she walked ahead back to the pool, Jackson could tell why Holt had probably taken this class.

Seeing Frankie in a swimsuit was definitely worth the head injury.

Everyone was congregating at the pool's shallow end, Lagoona yelling out instructions on how she was going to be grading them. He only caught part of it, but it sounded like one just had to make it across the pool while she watched, and to swim 'if you could'. With a sympathetic nod to Rochelle who was most likely bound to wade forever.

Hoodude was at the pool's edge splashing Frankie, and most everyone had gotten in the pool at this point, even with a reluctant student or so. So many blatantly bad monster types for this class. Robecca taking extra care at the water's edge to remove her rocket boots, maybe trying to stave rust off her old parts.

Jackson set down Holt's radio, and decided to join them. Though as soon as his feet touched the water he jerked back out.

The water was frigid.

His sole male peer seemed to notice his hesitation.

"Aw come on Holt!" he splashed more water in Jackson's direction. As Jackson scooted back.

"Ha. I'll get there…" he murmured. Not expecting a shove from behind, that caused him to land face first into the pool instantly submerging. After an unsavory gulp of the questionable pool's water, Jackson clung to the ladder shivering, while he glared at Lagoona still standing at the edge where she'd pushed him.

"Best way to learn!" she cheerily chipped back at him, before getting distracted by Iris asking her if she'd seen her goggle.

Jackson tried to regain his composure trying his best. As if the migraine wasn't enough, now he was wet and so _cold. _

"Cannonball!" he heard Hoodude yell before a cloth classmate leapt over his head to land lightly on the pool's surface with a quiet splat. Rolling over to his backside before floating off.

Right.

Soggy dummy. Electric eel. Sinking rock.

Fire elemental.

None of these people were meant to be in the water. Himself included.

Whining to himself, he wondered if this was enough to count for his credit for today. Looking for their student-teacher whilst floating closer to other students.

Swimming was something he didn't have to do often in his usual life, but seemed more difficult in a body he was hardly used to.

Sure in most ways it was still his physical form, but it certainly wasn't his image. Holt and him shared similar proportions, facial structure even vocal chords apparently but that was where the similarities ended. And it was hard enough being Jackson and trying to show some skin…

This unfamiliar blueness wasn't helping his self esteem.

Part of him tried to argue it was someone else's life so he shouldn't care, but no.

Holt was what he associated with embarrassment, some students didn't even distinguish between them. Not to mention

"I'm freezing Lagoona, can I please leave the water?" he asked meekly shivering. As his amphibious friend happened to glide by, natural in the water.

"Pshh, your flame isn't going to go out, mate."

Jackson never knew the rules for fire elementals and water. However common sense seemed to argue fire + water didn't equal anything good.

Maybe if he was in a warm tub he'd be better off, but Jackson felt the pool was overwhelming him.

Giving off heat like a furnace, while the water only seemed to cool him off, giving an overall feverish effect.

_That or he was actually ill, and after the last 24 hours he wouldn't have been surprised. _

The chills, combined with his complexion kept his shirt on even in the water. No way was he going shirtless like this…

Frankie waded over to put her hand around his arm as if trying to help. But she was as clammy as a corpse.

Of which she literally was, so no surprise there.

"Sorry…" she whispered "Between this and the bump on your head I might as well be sending you back to the nurse's…"

"It's ok…" he mumbled out "I'm only half after all.."

"Yeah, but I think the other half is a bit quiet right now." Frankie added.

Well he meant half-fire-elemental half-hyde, but even mom wasn't 100% how that worked.

Frankie did seem concerned by his grumpiness though.

_Wouldn't Holt hate this though?_

_Wouldn't he dislike the water?_

Jackson imagined him signing up soley because he saw Frankie do it.

He didn't even _know _Holt though… only a shallow impression of his videos and stories…

Then again it could be simpler than that. Holt could just be the opposite of how he normally acted.

At the same time that didn't explain their mutual attraction to Frankie.

Seeing her hair slicked back and her adorable swim suit though, how could one _not _like Frankie?

"You're right though Frankie… I should get out soon. My lips are turning blue." he tried to joke.

She smiled like she was going to but failed to completely laugh.

It was still encouraging.

Trying to fill the silence was something of torture though.

He coughed.

"Soo… this weekend huh?"

"You going to Cleo's party?"

"I mean I have to." he retorted flatly.

Frankie seemed embarrassed "Right. Yeah. Haha."

So the last time they had talked "So uh. What was that about a date?"

He had intended to sort this out with Holt but she was the one who told him about it.

Making plans without him, but this was a plan he didn't entirely mind. Then again he _had _agreed.

"Yeah I was thinking like the maul and maybe a picnic, I mean I don't know if you wanted like half of it or…" she bit her lip as if contemplating how to have a tandem day out.

"... Sunday right?" could he postpone it "Does it have to be Sunday?"

"Is there something wrong with Sunday?"

Nothing just there was a small… ok not so small chance of him not exactly being himself on Sunday.

He was going to have to worm out of his suddenly busy schedule if he wanted to fix this situation. At the same time messing up delicate plans with his not-exactly-ex was a strong fear.

Did he have an excuse? Tired from the party? Other plans that her perceived "Jackson" hadn't mentioned for some reason? The fact his mom got huffy about him getting actual rest before the school week?

Or maybe _not_ mention his mom gave him baby nap time.

_Anyone would listen to their mom if she could turn into a terrifying monster though… _

Then again at this school that was an actual possibility.

"_Maybe?_" He squinted. Could he really turn this down though? What if she thought rescheduling was too much of a hassle? Why was he so anxious about this….

Not going and going both seemed terrifying. Both because it was a date but mostly the image of Holt trying to romance Frankie while still stuck like this, seemed like the worst possible thing they could do at the moment.

Saying no sounded like he had no time for her though.

And he always had time for Frankie.

Looking at her he knew the choice "It's fine nevermind." he sunk into his warm spot "Don't worry about it forget I said anything…"

_He could fix them before that right?_

Frankie was twiddling with her hair staring more into the water. "Cool." she seemed lost in thought. Maybe she didn't talk about it. Jackson knew she could get nervous about that kind of thing too.

Bringing up the idea of dates seemed to make things tense.

Jackson's skin boiled. Literally. He was steaming a bit. Which Frankie squinted at until-

"Whaaaatcha talkin' bout~" sang a voice creeping towards them. Jackson turned to see a surprisingly buoyant Hoodude floating towards them on his back.

Because Frankie definitely needed more awkward not-exactly-exs bugging her today.

"Nothing Hoodude!" Frankie quickly quipped, tugging him over to maybe break their odd silence "Not sinking yet huh?" her tone changed quite a bit, way more cheerful, like talking to a kid.

"It takes awhile.." he explained with a smile he seemed to shove his soggy legs more into the water in attempts to keep himself upright. Though it seemed to take a substantial amount of effort. "Wow it's kind of warm over here…" he mused. Physically separating the couple and clinging wet burlap fingers around Jackson's bicep.

Jackson tried to shake him off but his cloth classmate didn't seem to get the hint.

"Holt do you work out?" he innocently asked.

"Uhh. Maybe?" he answered honestly. There were some parts of Holt's life Jackson didn't actually know about. "Hey Hoodude isn't it time for your lap or something?"

"Nope! Already went!" Hoodude pulled up Jackson's arm "Hey what's that?" he asked pointing to faded sentences written on shared skin.

Jackson pulled his hand back into the water and started scrubbing at particularly mean messages as Frankie peeked over suspiciously.

"Ha those are … always there…"

"Are those notes to Jackson?" Frankie asked.

"We can't talk in our heads or anything like that…" he hurriedly explained as their section of the pool became decidedly humid. Most weren't coming off with just water so he nonchalantly used Hoodude's arm as a makeshift sponge.

"Hey! Ink stains!" he complained swiping his arm back with enough force it hit the concrete pool curb with a soggy cloth smack.

Jackson yelped, feeling the secondhand bruise. Hissing he rubbed his own wrist trying to get the tingling magic pain to subside. "Hoodude…" he grumbled.

"You started it…" he pouted, pulling himself to Frankie's side.

Frankie still seemed mildly interested in Jackson's personal notes. Then again Jackson and Holt getting along did seem to be her ideal lately.

A whistle rang through louder than the background whistles Lagoona kept making. They all looked over to see her pointing at Jackson urgently.

Thank ghoul. He adored Frankie but he didn't know how long he could talk to her while simultaneously feeling dishonest the entire time.

Swimming out of his warm corner to where Lagoona wanted him to start for his lap. Feeling tense as he realized the radio didn't broadcast as loudly over here, but he was still existing so it couldn't have been too bad. There were more students on this side, most of which seemed to be happy to see him. A nice change to hatred or just awkwardness of being Jackson.

Iris seemed to be grumpy for one reason or another at him though. Maybe she hung out too much with Manny.

"Alright just swim back to the other side, then you're done for the day. You can even leave the pool after that if you want." Lagoona reminded him.

"Really?" he asked excitedly.

Lagoona smiled at him from the pool's edge, "Yeah but don't you usually bug Frankie more?"

Jackson felt hot every time someone pointed out a mistake in his acting "Uh, thought I'd give her a break today~" he grinned.

She gave him an odd look, and opened her mouth to say something but seemed to have changed her mind. "Just ah, go whenever Holt."

Right just swim for that checkmark. Lagoona started the timer as Jackson kicked off, he wasn't a particularly good swimmer but not a particularly bad one either. Though, he wondered if he should be better than this if Holt had been practicing this whole semester…

Namely out of breath. He played casketball he really shouldn't be this out of shape.

Though as the pressure welled in his chest he started to feel like something was wrong. Cutting his swimming to lean towards the edge choking.

Or drowning.

The next few moments were blurry but he did recall a whistle being blown. And then Lagoona patting him on the back.

Squinting to see Frankie propping a significantly waterlogged Hoodude against the wall, faintly hearing a "...and remember you gotta keep your head ABOVE the water."

"Always forget you land dwellers don't have gils. Doing alright?"

Jackson nodded.

"So uh no checkmark this week… "

Crap.

"But you can leave the pool if you want!" she added cheerily.

Great.  
>"Thanks Lagoona."<p>

"No problem… Holt."

Jackson had to power over to the nearest pool exit which was actually where Frankie and Hoodude were chilling. Rather Frankie seemed to be keeping Hoodude from sinking.

Coming in close to get to the ladder he stared down Hoodude.

"What?"

"You know what." Jackson huffed.

"Heeey I can't control it if I start to sink…" he whined "You're supposed to look out for it, the girls never seem to drown when I go under."

"I was swimming…" Jackson started to argue.

"It's ok I got him." Frankie piped up "No drowned monsters in this pool today~" she smiled.

Jackson gave a weak smile back. Taking hold of the pool ladder.

"Oh are you leaving?" Frankie asked.

"Yeah…I mean." he tried to lean against the pool wall in a cool way Holt might do "I don't think the pool is really my. Style."

"Right." Frankie bit her lip. Then looked at Hoodude, slowly pushing him up to the pool's curb. His water logged head smacking the pavement.

Ow.

Jackson rubbed his head but didn't mention it.

"Take… him."

"Oh. Uh ok." he climbed out, taking hold of Hoodude's arms and dragging him out of the water.

"Come on you always help!" Hoodude whined. "I get all heavy and gross in the water…"

"Yeah I can tell…" Yikes he was heavy. Luckily Frankie was aiding in pushing.

"Right so. Holt quick question before you take off.." Frankie added as she heaved Hoodude's legs up. "Uh. Where were you during lunch today?"

Jackson tried not to choke over her question.

_Don't freeze up. Don't over react. _

Jackson tensed a bit trying to put his nerves into dragging his classmate out of the water.

"Um don't remember. Must not have been my time."

Frankie blinked. "Oh ok." she pushed back into the water seeing he had this task handled.

"Well see you later. Probably at the party?"

"Yeah. Might be busy though..."

"I'll still see you." she rubbed at her electrical tape "Play a song for me or something alright?" she hurried off to Lagoona.

Speaking of songs.

"Hoodude hold this stereo."

* * *

><p>Dragging Hoodude from the pool to the locker room was a shorter trip than expected.<p>

Not sure what to do with him he just flopped him onto the locker benches. About to go about his regular business when Hoodude piped up "Heyyy you promised you'd help."

"I forgot you were alive for a minute." Jackson turned back. "Help with…"

"Drying me stupid." Hoodude slowly sat up, water squeezing from his body with the motion. He seemed incredibly floppy.

"Oh uh." Jackson grabbed a towel, his first instinct to grab a limb and twist squeeze the water but he got a vision of a fierce secondhand Indian burn. So just started padding and pushing at his lockermate's legs.

Hoodude working on his upper body.

An awkward silence ensued. Jackson being careful not to pound the water out of him as much as he wanted to.

"Thanks for being so gentle..." Hoodude added to the silence.

"Ok I'm out." Jackson stood up going back to his locker. Pausing.

"Hey do you know my locker combo?"

"You wrote it under the bench." Hoodude answered matter of fact, before scooting over to a hand dryer to sit under.

Jackson wondered who else might have access to his gym locker as he unlocked it. Changing back into Holt's clothes.

Noting his phone had like 10 messages.

Hurriedly going through them as his stomach dropped.

_**-frankies def figuring stuff out dude **_

_**-scarah's worried but just a heads up for whenver you see frankie next**_

_**-i dont think she KNOWs knows but she knows it's not normal**_

_**-maybe try to stay away from her?**_

_**-idk like text u later or something**_

As well as another from Scarah. This time less of a warning and more of an accusation.

_-Hey in class. Just checking again sorry. A little concerned about your um projects. _

_Are you sure you know what you're doing?_

He hovered a finger over the keyboard for a second before swiping out of his messages back to the ever present playbutton. He really needed to close some apps when he could no wonder his battery was always drained.

Hooking himself back up he turned off the radio they'd drug in.

"Later Hoodude."

Hoodude gave a wave from a comfortable looking spot under the sink's dryer.

Jackson decided to get a headstart on the bell.


	26. Masks

"Someone's watching you~"

Jackson nearly jumped out of his skin at the breath and voice so close to him in an empty hall.

"InvisiBilly..." he steamed "What are you doing here?"

"Hey I didn't mean me."

A floating phone was handed to Jackson seeing a Ghostly Gossip's editorial on Holt's hallway adventures with InvisiBilly earlier today. Well "Jackson's" encounters with InvisiBilly anyway.

He knit his brow at the captions. "Why does Spectra think we're a "blooming romance"?"

"Because that's what sounds the most dramatic? He was kind of falling all over me" InvisiBilly suggested taking the phone back. "I was just warning you that you might be getting watched. When you really don't want to be watched right now."

"I mean at least she doesn't know what's really going on…" Jackson gripped his iCoffin hearing it a low battery blip. It was still concerning though. What if she had heard something... "You probably shouldn't be stalking me in that case though. The bell hasn't even rung."

"I'm not stalking you. I happen to LIKE walking before there are a bunch of people around to bump into me. Sides, I can leave most classes early if I'm careful~" InvisiBilly seemed cheery about this "It almost makes up for getting sat on all the time."

"Yeah ok. I don't need you and Scarah nagging me about this though it's my problem…"

"I thought you were relieved someone knew now?"

"I am but…" Jackson tried to rationalize why he was peeved "I'll deal with it on my own time. Besides the more people I tell, or the more I talk to you about it…I don't know, you just told me to be more careful right?"

"Yes… which is why I'm here to tell you to step up your game."

Jackson felt heated. "It's not like Holt's doing any better."

"Yeahhhh but he kind of is…You're not very good at this."

As if to emphasis this fact they arrived outside of the Music room that seemed to be finishing up a lesson.

"We're like the same person, why would he be better at this?" Jackson bit his cheek. "Shouldn't he be just as bad?"

"Not if part of his strength is improv… I mean he is a DJ."

Jackson wasn't sure what InvisiBilly meant by that but he also wasn't very sure exactly what DJs did.

"You should probably finish up whatever you're working on fast before everyone figures it out…"

"Yes I _know _InvisiBilly…"

"I mean what's your plan exactly?"

"It's getting there."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

Jackson opened his mouth.

The bell rang and they were distracted by all the doors opening as Jackson pressed himself against the wall.

"I have some time tonight ok? I'll figure something out." Jackson mumbled lower. Waiting for the stream of kids to leave his next class before walking in himself. The teacher looked up but didn't take much more notice than that, prepping for the next period.

Jackson went to his seat and pulled out his iCoffin charger, plugging it into the conveniently nearby outlet to begin charging his new source of existence.

InvisiBilly plucked the cord "That seems annoying."

"Yeah this whole thing is kind of making me miss day and night…"

"Aw but you'd miss hanging out with nighttime monster buddies"

"It was at least a little less confusing…" And less anxiety inducing than being wary of triggers.

They both stopped talking as they noticed other kids coming into class including a certain red headed lilac skinned ghoul heading his way.

InvisiBilly whispered fast "Think about what I said though. Holt smiles more for one thing."

"Oh wow you need service with a smile now too?" Jackson rolled his eyes with a forced sarcastic grin.

"Hey Holt." Operetta interrupted them, sliding her bag onto their shared desk space.

Then paused smiling looking towards the blank space in front of their seats "Hey InvisiBilly~"

There was a huff "How'd you even know I was here."

"Well for one thing the floating phone gave it away." Operetta pointed at the iCoffin InvisiBilly hadn't realised he'd been holding.

"Second, Holt was talking to a wall a second ago. Unless you've finally gone that far off the rails, hun."

She ruffled Jackson's hair in a familiar way that caught him off guard.

He forced a smile back at her, clearing his throat at InvisiBilly.

"Think about what I said." InvisiBilly reminded him before most likely leaving.

It sounded like he might be leaving.

He probably left.

Operetta slid into her seat ""About what he said"? What's that mean? Guy stuff?" she winked "Or was he trying to convince you to date him since Spectra seemed convinced he's seduced the nerd."

Jackson wasn't sure how to respond. He had a hard time processing everything Operetta said for some reason. Kind of like when he spoke to Frankie only in a more annoying way.

"H-he's with Scarah.." Jackson started.

"I _know." _She smiled concernedly back at him. "I was joking…" she seemed to spell out slowly for him.

"Yeah." Jackson didn't know what to say next. He just scooted a little closer to the wall and began to take out his stuff. Or Holt's stuff. The one dingy folder that was falling apart and stuffed full of unorganized notes.  
>Ugh.<p>

The bell rang again signalling the start of class. Though it took a moment to begin begin.

"Have you been ok though?" she asked quieter.

Was every ghoul in their life going to ask them this?

"Why do you ask?" he tried to sound genuinely confused. Though maybe if he could figure out what was making everyone ask, he could change it.

As if on cue the teacher laid a burnt inky failed test in front of him, moving along to pass out the rest of the tests she had already graded.

Operetta made a face at it as Jackson slowly placed it in his folder. She laughed slightly "Oh um. No reason…"

Jackson sighed. Putting his head in his hands as he wasn't sure if he could make up that grade at this point.

"You just seem a little." She sat back making a picture square with her fingers, panning over him "Dead."

"I mean who isn't at this school?" he countered.

"I don't think Mr. Hyde was for one thing." she tilted her head back at him, getting her own notes out "Wasn't he the one you know…" she sliced her finger across her neck to indicate a murder spree.

She bit her lip when he didn't respond.

"Wait it isn't about _that _is it?" she asked suddenly.

"Uh I haven't killed anyone lately if that's what you mean…" Jackson asked with enough

confusion that it sounded like she was way off.

"Well I just meant." she began pulling out pens and pencils for note taking. "Nevermind."

Class was starting though, shutting them both up. Jackson attempting to start to take notes. A little hard to hear the teacher for one thing. He pushed the volume down but that was only making him shakey. Grumbling he started fiddling with his iCoffin looking for a less distracting song, but most of his guesses didn't seem to help.

Until a lilac hand pulled around his and began hijacking his device. He was going to jerk it away from her but she soon let go as the music suddenly switched.

It was just a beat. Glancing at his iCoffin he had never noticed this playlist before. With incredibly long "songs" based on the times listed. But based on the names and the one he was listening to, just drum and mixes with subtle melodies that seemed to be enough to keep him conscious but not distracted. Probably what Holt might use to make his own mixes or maybe not clash with music he was working on.

Jackson blinked feeling flush. The fact Operetta had to fix that for him wasn't _that _suspicious right?

It was a godsend regardless. Why hadn't he considered Holt might have "study" music?

Ok he knew why it hadn't crossed his mind…

As he squinted at the board.

"You know you can put them on." Operetta said quietly in his direction.

"What?"

"I won't make fun of you if you put on your stupid glasses." she rolled her eyes "You don't have to act like I don't know"

What _didn't _she know?

Because this was getting Jackson on edge.

"Thanks…." Jackson eased out suspiciously as he raised his spectacles to his face, wary he was somehow falling into a trap. Though Operetta wasn't mentioning anything of that sort.

Oh that was so much better for note taking. Though he was already majorly lost on this lesson.

He was getting unpleasantly heated and kept getting distracted by Operetta more than whatever the teacher was saying. Taking notes much better than Holt had, but mostly transcribing.

Pausing when he noticed Operetta looking at his notebook.

He self consciously pulled it closer to him, to get more out of her view.

She rolled her eyes and went back to her own work.

Jackson was just about letting his guard down when he felt a warm sensation pressed up against his thigh.

He kicked and almost jumped out of his chair. Operetta sliding her hand down his leg.

She leaned in close as Jackson sweat "Whatever it is." she whispered "I'm here ok?"

Jackson nodded feverently in anxiety.

She seemed to laugh quietly in his reaction "I can feel you getting warmer"

"Yup!" he curtly responded before pushing himself up against his corner, trying to scoot away. Running out of space.

She pulled her hand off resuming her work but seemed to be quietly laughing to herself.

Jackson, frazzled, tried not to let it affect him as he concentrated on what was left of this lesson.

Hard to with all this swirling in his head.

* * *

><p>He didn't understand the lesson, but blamed that on not being in this class. Operetta stopped giving him cryptic advice in the remainder of his class time but it didn't stop his aversion to her general being.<p>

The bell came with relief.

Until.

"Hey want to work on the song?" Operetta quickly asked as soon as most of the class had cleared out of the room and he pushed his notes back into his bag.

Not really.

"Um.."

She took his hand dragging him over to the class piano "Come on I know you wanted to work on the bridge."

Jackson found himself shoved into the piano bench, Operetta scooting way too close up to him.

Testing out a couple of keys she hit a chord.

Then looked at him smiling.

Jackson felt lost.

"Well?" she asked pressing him.

"Oh." she wanted him to play… with her? He wasn't sure.

Smiling nervously he put his hands to the piano, pressing a harmonizing chord out.

Oh hey that sounded great! Did he know piano?

He moved his hands down to the keyboard to erk out a disastrous clunk.

Ok maybe not.

He laughed weakly. "Right uhm. Just kidding."

"Yeah…" Operetta raised an eyebrow.

"YO HOLT!" they both turned to the doorframe. Caught by surprised as even the teacher had left the room to themselves.

Heath, Clawd, Deuce and Gil stood there excitedly.

"We're here to kidnap you!" his cousin exclaimed.

"Wait, what?!" Jackson began to stand up backing away.

"Literally!" Heath flamed up. Clawd pulling out a pillowcase.

Thinking fast, Jackson bolted towards the practice rooms.

Before he was pounced in a roll by a werewolf that severely outweighed him.

Tackling him to the ground, his vision suddenly obstructed by cloth wrapped around his head.

Clawd threw him over his shoulder and held him down.

"H-hey! Clawd!" he kicked struggling.

"Hey he's actually putting up a fight!" Clawd huffed "I thought you said it was just Jackson trying to get out of it."

"Man, I don't know he's crazy!" Heath shrugged, shoving Clawd out of the room, "We gotta go though!"

"Seriously? Why is he so warm?"

"Later Operetta, sorry for stealing your jam session" Deuce saluted.

Operetta waved back with a smile as the boys all ran out with their prize.

Sliding her fingers back to the keys she went back to playing without him. The music soothing after a long school day. Somewhat more pensive than usual.

Too bad they'd stolen him so fast.

Mindlessly playing the song they were working on, wondering if there was really anything to add to it or if they should just finalize it already.

He'd probably be busy all night, but she made a note to text him about some ideas she had for the ending.

Ready for a quiet afternoon before she was rudely interrupted.

"Oh! Operetta!"

She stopped, annoyed her flow was interrupted.

Then very slowly turned. "Frankie!" she smiled politely. "What brings little old you here~" she asked sweetly. Standing up.

Frankie was looking chipper as usual standing in the doorway.

"Well actually I was looking for Holt, but you work better actually." she twiddled her hair.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah…" she hung in the doorframe, then slowly came in. "Um. I've been uh." she put her hands out "Looking into a couple of things. I just wanted to ask you, have you noticed Holt or Jackson being kind of off lately?"

"Well I can't really speak for Jackson but, off like what?" Operetta asked, looking at her nails decidedly.

"Oh you know…" Frankie waved her hand vaguely "You're friends right?"

"You could say that."

Operetta kept looking to her expectantly.

Frankie continued "For the last day or so something seems weird about their behavior. I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining it at this point." she rubbed her arm "Kind of sick maybe? His voice seems kind of strange and he seemed bothered by something. He's skipping classes, and seems to be lying about some things. I was thinking maybe it was something going on at home and wondered if he told you anything."

Operetta looked up in thought "I mean I can't think of anything off the top of my head…" she leaned against the piano "Why? What do you think it is?"

Frankie adjusted her grip on her school bag "Some of my theories are a little far fetched, I was hoping for some more clues. If it's anything…" She then lit up as if a brilliant piece of evidence had come to her "Ooh! Do you know if Holt ever wears Jackson's glasses?"

Operetta slid her finger down some piano keys, testing the lighter sounding ones.

"'Course he does."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, you didn't know that?" she pressed back.

Frankie couldn't help a bit of spark leaking out as she wasn't sure how to respond "Um. I mean I guess not"

"That's weird. I guess I know him better than you do." she smiled "Wouldja look at that."

"I mean it wasn't the only thing. I had to take him to the nurse earlier and…" she was trying to draw up other evidence.

"Well. You're being a little vague." Operetta said "Is there something wrong with both of them?"

"Maybe." Frankie suddenly was having a harder time distinguishing what happened to who "It's hard to tell when I ask him. He seems to be forgetting things. That might be normal though."

"Yeahhh." Operetta agreed "I blame the nerd trying to cram so much up there it just kinda pushes the other stuff out…" She crossed her legs "You said lying and skipping?"

"It's hard to tell who's lying when they both say different things…" Frankie added.

Operetta laughed.

"Well he's not exactly an angel." she reasoned amused "Either of them."

"Yeah but I didn't think he'd lie to _me." _Frankie scratched a stitch.

"I mean maybe it is just you then?" Operetta suggested, about to turn back to the piano, then stopped, looking at Frankie up and down.

"Did you need to be somewhere?"

Frankie tugged at her fearsquad skirt, in full uniform, having dressed out last period. "Just the swim meet."

"Guess you should probably hurry along to that then." Operetta encouraged.

"Y-yeah…" Frankie looked around the room "Thanks for your help." she waved as she began to leave the room.

"Don't mention it" Operetta countered back politely, not making eye contact as she cracked her knuckles and went back to the piano keys.

Going back to softly playing as she heard Frankie shut the door behind her.

Operetta smirked, humming along to the melody.


End file.
